I am trying to get better about this sort of thing happening (the late night bottle pop after your teeth are well purple). Part of the problem is that the tasting crowd that I call my own cannot sync schedules very often, so when we do we always go overboard. The last such tasting (it looks formal, but it isn’t) that I set up looked something like this:
Chardonnay and Pinot Tasting Flights – 19 September 2015
Amuse Bouche
NV Jean Milan Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne, France
Chardonnay Maturity Flight
1988 Kalin Cellars Chardonnay Cuvee LD, Sonoma County, California
1990 Trefethen Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
2005 Brewer-Clifton Sweeney Canyon Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills, California
2006 Konggsgard Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
2007 Conn Valley Vineyards Estate Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
Old World v. New World Chardonnays
2002 Domaine de la Vougerie Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot 1er (monopole), Burgundy, France
2009 Louis Latour Chablis 1er La Chanfleure, Burgundy, France
2011 Louis Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Les Callierets, Burgundy, France
2013 Ceritas Peter Martin Ray Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains, California
2013 Liquid Farm White Hill, Sta. Rita Hills, California
Oregon (Shea) v. California (Bearwallow) Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Showdown
2000 Raptor Ridge Shea Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton District, Oregon
2005 Ken Wright Cellars Shea Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton District, Oregon
2011 Rhys Bearwallow Vineyard, Anderson Valley, California
2012 Rhys Bearwallow Vineyard, Anderson Valley, California
Old to Young Domestic Pinot Flight
1994 Hitching Post (Hartley Ostini) Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley, California
2009 Les Cousins, Willamette Valley, Oregon
2012 Domaine de la Cote Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California
2012 Evening Land Seven springs Vineyard, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon
Red Burgundy North to South
1988 Phillippe LeClerc Gevery-Chambertin Combe aux Moines 1er, Burgundy, France
1999 Vincent Girardin Bonne-Mares Grand Cru, Chambolle-Musigny, Burgundy, France
2003 Dominique Laurent Charmes-Chambertin Veilles Vignes dans les Mazoyeres, Burgundy, France
2006 Bouchard Pere et Fils Beaune Clos de la Mousse 1er (monopole), Burgundy, France
2005 Domaine Coste-Caumartin Pommard Les Clos Des Boucherettes, Burgundy, France
These didn’t include the bottles that people brought on the side, and there were ~18 of us. By the time we got to the last couple, I’m sure we didn’t enjoy the wines as much as was justified (but damn the 88’ Leclerc was awesome). At least with the pre-planned tastings like this, you know to pace yourself.