SOBER met at Tim's place in Stamford tonight, really fantastic night of wine, food, and friendship. The wines showed extraordinarily well overall, and the food was great.
Nice plates of salami and proscuitto, a great assortment of cheeses, and a 1996 Deutz "Cuvee William Deutz" Rose Champagne to start. Strawberries, parker rolls, mineral. Some slight oxidative notes, but nothing worrisome. Very nice. B+
Onto the blind wines Flight 1
Wine #1 Sweet, lemony, just a touch of sugar. Nice length, structure. I got Riesling, then was told wrong when I guessed ZH. Not Alsace, someone guessed Austria, then Germany. Tim said this was $14 with shipping. Good deal!
1994 Schloss Schoenborn Hochheimer Holle Riesling Kabinett. B/B+Wine #2 I thought weird nose, lemon pledge meets musk. Dan immediately guesses Gewurz. Light color, youthful, I didn't love this but was shocked it was almost 30 years old. 1981 Klein aix Vieux Ramparts Geuwrztraminer. B-/C+
Flight 2 I think John quickly got Piedmont
Wine #3 Red fruit, still some tannins, there's flowers and tar over good sweet fruit. Very young, once Tim says it's a '70 I guess Borgogno (thinking maybe reconditioned). No, it's the 1970 F. Rinaldi Barolo. A-/B+
Wine #4 Seems a bit older at first, red fruit intertwined with autumn leaves, a hint of animal brett, a little herby note (someone says "anise" and that sounds right). I prefer the Rinaldi, but a wonderful wine blossoms while we continue evening, with a complex truffle meets earth nose and a fresh demeanor. 1970 Barolo Mascarello Barolo B+ originally, A at end
Flight 3 (with pasta bolognese) John gets Tuscany quickly. I actually guess Felsina Rancia, but for wrong bottle.
Wine # 5 Fresh black cherry fruit, a hint of vanilla, solid, giving. Nice. 1995 Felsina "Rancia" Chianti Classico Riserva B+/B
Wine # 6 Good acids, leather and cherry, earth. Lovely, balanced. Once I've guessed wrong I at least get Monsanto on next guess. 1993 Monsanto "il Poggio" Chianti Classico Riserva. B+/A-
Flight 4 Someone guesses Italy. I guess Pepe MdA (on #7), Tim quietly confirms, but I enjoy watching others struggle.
Wine #7 Sweet sweet red fruit, good acids, fresh turned earth, coffee, exotic and complex. Long, lovely. I like maybe a bit more than others. 1982 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d' Abruzzo. A-/A
Wine #8 Maderized, the chance one takes with older Pepe. But I think someone good lurked there. 1985 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d' Abruzzo. D
Flight #5 with crusted stuffed chicken, white beans with tomatoes,a nd white and green asparagus with morels
Wine # 9 Sweet cassis, smoke, tobacco, earth. Long, lovely, best bottle I've had of the 1970 Gruaud Larose. A-
Wine #10 Dark fruit, tar, smoke, a bit bulky. I liked Gruaud best, but with some air the Montrose pulled even. 1970 Montrose A-
Wine #11 Redder fruit, cedar, cigarbox, nice length. 1970 Leoville Las Cases. B
+(I have a bottle or two of each of these Bdx, hope they show as well!)
Flight #6 Someone quickly gets Brunello, and then 1997
Wine # 12 Tannic structure, dark berry fruit, saddle leather, a bit soft on the acids. I like a tad less than others. 1997 Banfi "Poggio alle Mura"Brunello di Montalcino. B/B+
Wine #13 Low acid, soft, some herby notes, I'm not really a fan. 1997 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. B-
Non blind dessert wine (with berries and ice cream)
1990 Suduiraut Quite dark in color, but wine seems solid. Toffee, coffee, citrus rind, marmalade. Nice length. B+Really excellent night, thanks to Tim for great job hosting. The Champagne, both Barolos, Monsanto, Pepe, or any of the Bordeaux could easily have been WOTN.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.