It’s been a while since we had a blind tasting at my house, Any interest in joining a group of up to 15 people for a blind tasting? We already have 10-12 interested. Previously we did Burgundy v. California Pinot, or more drilled down, RRV Pinot v. Sonoma Coast. This time we could do Cabs, like Rutherford v. Oakville, or something like that. Could just bring a bunch of good stuff and we can pot luck or I can smoke or grill something.
Let me know interest.
Confirmed List:
Bruce and Laurie (2)
Scott and Andrea (2)
Brian and Jennifer (2)
Kevin Jones + 1 (2)
Marc and Dominique Simon (2)
Mike and Dana (2)
Ken and Wendy Gootkin (2)
Adam G (1)
Mike Hill (2)
17 People.
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Would love to but we are out of town on the 10th.
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Maybe I will pick a different weekend.
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Dana and i would be in. Have another local couple that need events like this as they are getting serious on wine.
Jennifer and I are interested but 9/10 does not work for us.
Does September 24 work better Brian and Scott? Mike and Dana? Others?
Let me know if the new date works and let me know about the new couple.
We are in. Got lost in our Colorado trip.
Will give you the other couple status tomorrow.
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Bruce - I like the idea of a Napa Cab tasting, however, it might be difficult to compare Rutherford vs. Oakville. How about broadening it to mountain fruit vs. valley floor fruit?
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Just Dana and I. Our friends have a concert that night.
I like Brian’s idea of a Cab tasting. I also could recommend two flights, one of Pinot and one of Cab, How about making it simple, To Kalon v. Dr. Crane,. These are wines that show better with a decant - will e decant and then rebottle at home? I have a few decanters but not eight assuming we do two flights. I have 400+ bottles of Cab so happy to bring out a few gems.
As for food, if we are doing Cab, or something with Cab, it sounds like MEAT is the appropriate choice - I know two of the attendees will want fish so it will be fish and MEAT. We could bring in, or we can smoke/grill. If I am bribed enough, I can get up early enough to put a BIG brisket on the smoker. Takes 12 hours.
Please chime in. And though we have a few invites out, there is room for a few more people.
I like meat!! Brisket is always great. We’re happy to bring some meat to throw on the grill as well. Just let us know what you need.
I’m fine with either two cab flights or a cab and a pinot flight (though my preference would probably be for 2 cab flights). I would still like to broaden it past just To Kalon vs. Dr. Crane (my initial suggestion was Napa Valley floor vs. Mountain) but it’s your call. I can decant whatever red bottles we bring ahead of time - so that should not be an issue. I’ll also bring a white and/or bubble to get us started.
I can smoke a pork shoulder for pulled pork if anybody would like that? I will also bring bubbles to start.
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I am fine with Napa Valley mountain fruit v. Napa Valley floor. And we can do two flights of cab… Bubbles or something light to start is always good. I’ll smoke a big brisket. Scott if you want to smoke some pork shoulder, that would be good. We can pick up some sides to go with these things. I will smoke or bake a Salmon as I know my wife and Dominque both do not eat meat.
BIG QUESTION - do we want to do the wines blind, or is that too much trouble?
Start time? I say let’s start at 6:30. Thoughts?
I vote for no blind in this situation because I will be too busy eating and talking to concentrate 
I don’t get out much lately but I will go with whatever.
At least three other people (not on Berserkers) are almost insisting we have a Pinot flight in addition to a Cab flight. I am ok with that and since my wife is one of those insistent ones, I’ll supply extra wine (see next paragraph for ideas).
If the wines won’t be blind, I suggest we exchange what we would like to bring to avoid obvious duplicates. I was thinking for Mountain Fruit, I’d bring a Chappellet (I have 2009 or 2015) and for valley floor, while I have hundreds of choices, I was thinking of opening an Old Sparky magnum. Of course, I will open a Pinot or two also.
Thoughts?
I was thinking of a 2006 Dunn Howell Mtn and a 2006 Phelps Backus Vineyard (Oakville). I’ll bring a red burg for the Pinot flight.
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Since you are being generous enough to bring a Pinot and two cabs, I’ll also open either a Krug or a 2008 Comtes.
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