My notes are written also for the benefit of an email list I forward all wine notes to so please excuse some of the details and duplicate information from others posts.
Another stellar evening with The Book Club:
A couple of years ago, I connected with some Orange County guys who I knew to be good people just by reading their comments and wine notes on WineBeserkers {WB} forums. Seeing we had many of the same wine preferences and equaled passion, I proposed driving down to join them for one of their outings and thanks to Chris Seiber, it happened. It was so much fun and extremely educational and meeting everyone in person confirmed my read on them being righteously good people. This just had to happen again.
Now, there have been 4 of these stellar occasions and this last one also provided me with a direct opportunity to share in the educational format by doing a blind flight. All in all, the 8 of us {Chris Seiber, Andrew Christensen, Rob Winn, Viet Ly, Steve Nordhoff, Frank Murray III, Todd French and me} had 13 wines starting off with a champagne, before moving on to the first of 5 blind flights, all coordinated by Chris.
Our outdoor setting was perfectly suited for the occasion. We had the champagne along with some tasty appetizers at a fireplace table reserved for us before moving to our nearby table
But first champagne. I asked to bring something special to get us off on the right foot and with fingers crossed, I pulled a bottle of a champagne that came in first at a rooftop champagne event I held 2 years ago. It competed against some heavy hitters including many top notch Grande Marques.
1995 CHARLES HEIDSIECK BLANC des MILLENAIRES blanc de BLANC- 750ml; 100% Chardonnay from the CĆ“te des Blancs with 4 Grands Crus and 1 1er Cru which spend over 20 years on the lees and as such, is the houseās flagship wine; I got a touch of advanced notes in the aromatics that was not present in the previous bottle from 2 years ago although the color was a light to medium yellow and some even remarked they thought it was a much younger champagne as a result; the nose had fragrant floral and citrus fruit notes which on the palate were joined by white stone fruit, it had a creamy mousse and finished on an uptick with a bit more energy even 40 minutes later.
The first of 4 blind flights:
Frank only told us the 2 bottles were champagne.
#1- the color was a light pink yellow and I`m thinking the pink denotes some Pinot Noir, but then a streak of ginger arrived about mid palate and along with some stone fruit early on, then some mandarin and yellow peach at the end AND on a night where table talk was properly minimal prior to revealing the wines, the word Meunier echoed from the table and I call it Meunier; it was initially served really chilled and the nuances changed significantly over time with an end result of an expanded fruit profile and a creamy feel good texture plus more richness and fullness.
After Andrew nailed the blend, Steve called the vintage and honed in on the vineyard and producer; the dialogue especially between Frank and Steve was delightful and engaging. They kept taking it to the next microlevel and left me in the dust and once again humbled and desiring to know more.
2012 BERECHE & FILS LE CRAN 1er Cru- organic and biodynamically farmed 50% Pinot noir and 50% Chardonnay; disgorged 7/19 @ 3 gpl; therefore, an extra brut.
#2- after the mis-call of the first one, I took a deep breath, rolled up my sleeves, lower my shoulders and gave this a bit more attention; actually it was pretty easy to make it as a Chardonnay and a good one at that and probably from 09 or 12
although Iāve not had many from 13 and younger; following the medium yellow color and once warmed up a bit, nice citrus, pear and baked apple notes with underlying minerality came on in a big way and along with its lightly frothy mousse, layered depth and complexity, I
m a fan and thinking if I do not have this, I will get it.
2012 LAMANDIER-BERNIER les CHAMINS d`AVIZE GRAND CRU- this is also an extra brut dosed at 2 gpl and the fruit is sourced from organic and biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from the Chemin de Plivot and Chemin de Flavigny lieux-dits vinified and aged in oak barrels of various sizes and bottled with 2 gr/l dosage after 6 years on lees.
Next up. My turn. Having attended 3 previous Book Club outings, I knew I better bring it from an educational standpoint. Even though all of the group know I was a close friend of Burt Williams and had bought 3 of his classic Pinots on the first night and post repeated notes on WB, they would be on the lookout for his wine{s}, so I chose a little variation of the same theme.
I wanted to keep it in the āfamilyā so one bottle came from Burt, one came from his daughter and the other came from one of his and my best friends, Chris Whitcraft. Additionally, they all came from Morning Dew Ranch which is in Anderson Valley. And, the vintages are within 4 years of each other.
Burts last vintage for Williams Selyem was 1997. A non compete agreement and development of a newly planted vineyard with dream clones prolonged his return to winemaking; so, before retiring, Burt made 2 vintages under his Morning Dew Ranch label in Anderson Valley, 2008 and 2009. His daughter Margi of Brogan Cellars had already established herself as a quality winemaker and one of her best efforts came from a plot in the vineyard set aside for her which was affectionately called Margi
s Block. Chris was blessed to be able to source fruit from the vineyard and labeled his FI as in F*****g Incredibleā.
The 3 wines were all double decanted:
I wanted to challenge the guys on the wines origin, region and subregion as well as the vintage; so, I offered some possibilities and it may have changed some initial impressions. I asked if there was any from Burgundy, Oregon, NZ, then California and appellations? Steve was already on it and knew at least one Burt wine was there and he and a couple others called it the #2 wine and from RRV. For me, the 09
MDR is much more Burgundian and has passed for one in local red Burg tastings previously. Andrew once again came up with the amazing pronouncement that the fruit came from Anderson Valley as it had red apple notes so commonly associated with this region especially the west end of the valley. Most had 2 of the wines younger than the actual vintages, but the color of the other was tell-tale older.
#1- 2006 WHITCRAFT MORNING DEW RANCH FI ANDERSON VALLEY PINOT NOIR- as per his style, Chris`s wines came in at high alcohol, this one probably at an understated 14.9%; the dark red burgundy color with a tad of bricking was indicative of some aging and the nose also had suggested mature fruit which expressed as more tertiary wild cranberry, cherry with a nice accent of spice and yes, some of the red apple; it was medium to full bodied and seemed to expand and grow in the glass; this was an atypical bottle in that it was much more advanced as evidenced by the color, nose and taste profile as it had moved from a secondary to tertiary fruit expression; FI?, not so much, but it was decent.
#2- 2007 BROGAN CELLARS MY FATHERS VINEYARD MARGI
S BLOCK ANDERSON VALLEY PINOT NOIR- a bit of aged color; in addition to the red apple, I got smoky wild cherry/ berry plus blackberry and blueberry fruit that was delivered in an oily, creamy like texture all the way to the back end where everything hung out and came together; previous bottles have had fresher and tamer spicy red and black fruit notes.
#3- 2009 MORNING DEW RANCH JANS CUVEE ANERSEON VALLEY PINOT NOIR- along with a few of the WS Rockioli
s that Burt made through 97`, this wine has a much darker fruit profile with loads of black cherry in the forefront as opposed to the red raspberry, strawberry and red cherry found in most other SVDs and blends; itās also a much bigger bodied and more complex wine and with its bright acidity, promises to stand up to the test of time.
Wow! I`m exhausted. I was at this time during the dinner/ blind tasting and now writing up the notes. From here on, it may be a short read, but for me, still mindful of a stupendous experience.
The 3rd blind flight with wines gifted by Chris, Robb and Andrew was announced as being Italian reds;
#1- young in color and aromatics, pleasant nose; first taste is hot- very acidic, then it dissipates; serious wine with depth and lots of dark cherry /berry fruit and plum, hint of tobacco and stiff tannins- going with at least 18 year old Nebbiolo; loved it out of the gate and it got better with time; got to find some.
2001 PAOLO SCAVINO BRIC DEL FIASC BAROLO
#2- nice inviting nose; spicy blueberry highlights the taste and the super smooth mouthfeel highlights the sensory perception; better and better with time and itās changing so much from the outset, Iām moving from Sangiovese to Nebbiolo; as with the first wine, I want some of this too; called it much younger.
2001 BRUNO GIACOSA FALLETTO di SERRALUNGA d`ALBA BAROLO
#3- Bretty nose that sort of blew off, but not totally; nice spicy and cinnamon accented dark fruit; canāt be a Barolo and perhaps an atypical Sangiovese as I donāt recall ever having the cinnamon notes this had; once past the barnyard odor, itās really good, but close the barn doors please, pinch the nose and all is good.
2001 LISINI UGOLAIA BRUNELLO di MONTALCINO
The 4th blind flight of 3 announced as being a Bordeaux blend with the wines coming from Todd, Viet and Steve:
:
#1- as with all in this flight, they were inky, vibrant dark purple and therefore assumed āyoungerā as in less than 15-20 years old; the nose suggested serious stuff here and loads of dark fruit; lots of complexity; and accent of talc all the way through; balanced; what I want in a Bordeaux blend, but not sure itās Bordeaux. No way do I get this for what it was and from Pauillac, my left bank fav, but loved it.
2008 PONTET-CANET PAUILAC
#2- my parts per mil perception is quite keen tonight and Iām getting another hit of Brett and still liking what lies beneath = jammy dark fruit with black currant most prominent; more Cabish with some cedar, leather and earth; got to be left bank, maybe St. Estephe- Cos?. NOT.
2003 LEOVILLE-POYFERRE SAINT-JULIEN
#3- well, itās pretty easy for me to call this fab wine as a Napa cult Cab; the inky dark vibrant color all 3 had was most prevalent in this one; thinking a precocious 2010; so big, layered complexity, but soft and easy on the palate; better and better with time; integrated oak, chocolate, black cherry, for me the WOTN if not the Ponet-Canet. Stellar bring. Thanks Steve.
2008 SCHRADER BECKSTOFFER TO-KALON VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON
And if our evening was not complete enough, Viet so generously offered another blind bottle:
I`m pretty much spent at this time and my palate is close to fried; after a couple of glasses of water, I waded into in to this one and got some talc and sandalwood, full body; long; black currant and berry; nice and easy.
2001 SOCIANDO-MALLET HAUT-MEDOC
What a night! Such good people and sharing the bliss in the wonderful world of fellowship, fine wine and great food all the while learning more and expanding the knowledge and experience.
Thanks to all and especially Chris for orchestrating this wondrous event.
As I have so often remarked, I could do this every night; well, maybe once a week.
Cheers,
Blake