ESTG does Blind Triples

Jason & Tracy hosted this one. Jason picked an interesting theme where he matched us up as couples and asked each pairing to prepare a blind, themed flight of 3 wines. Jason knew just enough about the flights to be able to order them best as possible and have food to pair.

So for all of us the whole night was bagged and double-blind other than our own flight.

This was a great pairing to start. With one very SB character wine and the other richer and creamier, it seemed obvious this was Bordeaux Blanc. I also knew this would be one of the few times all night I would have my bearings, as blind tasting is humiliating.

• 2020 Château Suduiraut Le Blanc Sec de Suduiraut

  France, Bordeaux

  Very Sauv Blanc, sharp, grassy, nice acidity. There is a richness and bit of bitterness that has me thinking Bordeaux Blanc but with a heavy does of SB.

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• 2015 Château Valandraud Blanc de Valandraud

  France, Bordeaux

  Some creaminess, seems New World-ish, Semillon character, oak, rich, a bit heavy. This actually improved considerably with time in the glass.

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I had absolutely no clue on these. I am really not good at figuring out Domestic or older Pinot.

• 1991 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Pretty old, clearly madeirized, orange peel. I actually hazarded a sip, and the palate was not totally dead. But this was over the hill and crashed quickly.

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• 1992 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Quite ripe, a bit of astringency, concentrated, some tannin to it, cinnamon

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• 1993 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Very cherry cola, savory, meaty, minty, lots of underbrush, actually pretty pleasing.

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Of course Steve had to come up with our only screwball flight...
When told there was a ringer, pretty much the entire group was able to guess the middle wine as the outlier. I was a bit lost, wondering if this was a Musigny flight or some sort of Syrah. Actually not too bad for double-blind...

• 2012 Domaine Duroché Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaut St. Jacques

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Started with a hint of FCOJ. This got a bit lost in this flight, but I circled back and it was quite lovely. Mmm, gentle smoke, peat, mineral, quite lovely.

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• 2010 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  Clearly the darkest of the 3 in the flight. Young, mineral, cherry, smoky and leafy. Everyone's favorite of the flight.

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• 2001 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Bonnes Mares

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

  Mmm, peppery, cherry, smoky, just unreal, super cherry concentration. A bit savage and quite masculine.

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These were shockingly structured and at first seemed so New World Cabernet. Once Bob said they seemed Italian, then it all became more obvious. But still, my initial instinct was nowhere close...

• 2010 Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Deep, iced tea, tobacco, pretty nice

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• 2012 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Coffee, brown sugar, tannins, very sweet core, acid and structure fill this out pretty well.

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• 2004 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Really extracted. Intense. Dark. It was a LOT. This drank more like a New World Cabernet than a Brunello in my double-blind opinion.

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OK, this was obvious and an easy guess. Especially with the Léoville Barton just screaming BORDEAUX from the rooftops. Technically this could have been a Saint theme given the three appellations.

• 2004 Château Pavie Macquin

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Very plummy, cassis, mint, seems really ripe.

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• 2002 Château Cos d'Estournel

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Of the flight of three, this was the least generous, certainly pleasing but with some astringency and some harsh tannins. Very much a 2002.

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• 2001 Château Léoville Barton

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Mmmm, now THAT is a Bordeaux nose. Deep, tobacco, just makes me smile. So fresh, peppery, chewy, tannic, dry but so pleasing. Classic!

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Adam and I brought this flight, and it was as textbook as Côte-Rôtie gets. I just loved seeing these at three ages, and the 2011 was the most enjoyable for me. Fantastic producer!

• 2007 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche / La Péroline

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Mmmm, smoky, savory, amazing texture and length, just so meaty.

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• 2011 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche / La Péroline

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  OMFG, glorious, the acid is singing, just lovely with black pepper and smoke, chewy, right in the wheelhouse. Young but prime drinking if you still want some chewiness.

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• 2019 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie Les Journaries / Maestria

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Mmm, sweet and pure, concentrated, mineral, bloody, deep, savory/salty umami. Whew let is age for another 7-10, but this is lovely.

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This was obviously New World, clearly a VERY reduced style, screaming of a certain Rocks character. Honestly the theme could have been reduced New World reds. There was nothing hinting at Tempranillo here, and this easily could be mistaken for a Cayuse Syrah.

• 2007 Cayuse Tempranillo Impulsivo En Chamberlin Vineyard

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Spice cake, reduction, black fruit, a bit ponderous.

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• 2010 Cayuse Tempranillo Impulsivo En Chamberlin Vineyard

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Riper than the 2007. Raisin. Even MORE reduced which seems impossible. Savory. Again lots of raisin and dried fruit on the finish.

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• 2011 Cayuse Tempranillo Impulsivo En Chamberlin Vineyard

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Peppery, spice cake, sweet.

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This was an interesting but also somewhat challenging and tiring tasting. The double-blind guessing game is both fun but also gets in the way of enjoying the wines a bit.

Still, this was very worthwhile and fun.