Our Monday Night Blind Wine Dinner Group met once again, this time with 4 of our 5 local members in attendance.
Our balanced wine bring theme asked for one to bring a bubbly, 2 to bring a white wine and 1 to bring a red wine.
I was the one to bring bubbly and after testing them mightily last week with a sparkling wine from Mt. Etna, I felt almost compelled to make up for it and bring a Cristal or Krug or Taittinger Comtes or the like, but I just received a bottle of a California sparkling wine that has tricked us before into thinking it was a fine champagne from a large house and just had to do it. Here’s some notes:
2019 ROEDERER ESTATE L’ERMITAGE ANDERSON VALLEY BRUT- served blind to the others; my bring and my first time tasting this release after having enjoyed many really good older vintages in the past; it had a light yellow color and mild aromas of fresh honeyed lemon, grapefruit and lime that made up the matrix of the taste profile that just gently burst on the palate once tasted; the frothy cotton candy like mousse perfectly complimented the elegance that this possessed all the way through; there was some body and weight, but overall, it was more about grace and charm; this was comprised of 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir with 4% oak aged reserves from 2016 added; our bottle was disgorged 2/24 and dosed at 6 gpl. One of our members called it a new world sparkling wine from the outset and even mentioned this specific wine whereas the other 2 had it as small grower champagne.
2019 PAUL PERNOT BATARD-MONTRACHET GRAND CRU- blind; following its light yellow color and its obvious chilled state from the frosted glass came robust aromas of toasty oak, vanilla and honey accented lemon, orange blossoms and green and yellow apple with a streak of minerals running through it; it had a smooth mouthfeel, richness, layered depth and nice length carrying all of the above notes to the back end; I thought it was magnificent and easily called it of Grand Cru white Burgundy quality, but had no idea as to which commune it came from; I did liken it to PYCM which for me has many similar oak laden notes, but the others quickly dispelled any resemblance. Lots more to learn.
Here’s some information about the producer from
Atherton Wine Imports:
2017 HUBERT LAMY DERRIERE chez EDOUARD BLANC SAINT-AUBIN 1er Cru- blind; also well chilled, this had a light yellow color and offered inviting aromas of white flowers, chalk, saline and mineral accented lemon and lime which continued on to make up most of the taste profile; it had just enough bright acidity, was elegant and charming, easy on the palate and in essence, wonderful; it was definitely a solid white Burgundy, but once again, I had no idea as to what commune it came from, wondered if it was Chablis and guessed it to be 2018.
2012 AU BON CLIMAT CUVEE ISABELLE CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIR- blind; the color was Pinot Noir light red purple and the nose was Pinot Noir wondrous fresh and ripe red berries and cherries; so, I’m thinking it’s new world, but more Sonoma Coast or Anderson Valley or maybe even Carneros; regardless, it was a wonderful wine that featured talc and spice laden red raspberry and strawberry in addition to the red cherry fruit while being delivered in a super smooth texture and sporting depth and some complexity; this was barrel fermented, aged 20 months in new French oak and included a small portion of fruit from N. California that was added to top cream fruit from Santa Barbara County. It’s drinking well now and has years to go before reaching its apogee.
This was another great night with the learning curve moved to an upward position and lots of room for more to add.
Cheers,
Blake
