With Bill/Tex back in town for a final week before a Nashville hiatus, eight of us got together to catch up, eat some red meat and share some fun wines. No real theme…anything that goes well with burgers. And a plug to Burger Up for out-of-towners…the lamb burger with a fried egg on top is amazing…not to mention their truffle fries. In the order tasted:
2010 No Girls Grenache - Very appropriate for this all male group. First time trying this wine. I believe this was opened earlier in the day. Light red…nice nose of dark pepper and red berries, but I got a little more pepper than I like when tasted followed by a hot finish. I would suggest a long decant or laying this down for a few more years. 89
2005 Quilceda Creek Red Wine - This was my contribution, and turned out to be my least favorite wine of the evening. Opened upon arrival…should have given it more time. Dark red…medium body, but I didn’t get much fruit and found the tannins very present on the finish. 88
2007 Lillian Syrah - Always a treat to drink Lillian. This bottle did not disappoint. Deep purple…perfect balance of spice, dark fruit…lingering finish. My favorite wine tonight. 94
2009 Mike & Molly Hendry Zinfandel - Not familiar with this one. Medium red…love the nose on this (big!)…good fruit, but found the finish rather short. 89
2007 Pride Cabernet - Been a while since I’ve had a Pride. I believe this was opened on the spot. Medium color…nice vanilla and light cherry notes…soft tannins on the finish. Was expecting this to be slightly “bigger,” but still very enjoyable and drinking well right now. 90
2010 Carlisle Bedrock Vineyard Zinfandel - Have never had a bad bottle of Carlisle and did not break that streak tonight. Medium red…perhaps a lighter nose than I typically like…but great body with red and dark fruits, some spice and a nice finish. 91
2011 Kessler-Haak Syrah - Another one I was unfamiliar with. Deep purple…beautiful layers of spice, smoke and dark fruits on the nose with a long finish that did not disappoint. I see this goes for $32 on their website. I’m not looking to add more lists, but this is another under the radar find a la Herman Story. 92
2007 Lewis Alec’s Blend - I believe this had been opened prior to arrival. First thing I noticed was the weight of the bottle…heavier than most. Light nose with white pepper notes…the wine itself was very balanced with dark fruit and floral notes…very enjoyable. 93