HOSPITAL FOUNDATION ANNUAL CHARITY GALA - Bellingham, WA (6/7/2014)
I brought some wine to the annual charity event. I was sitting at a large table with 9 fun friends who like wine but don’t collect, store, analyze, or berserkerize. However, there were some wine enthusiasts and even fellow berserkers at the event, so I tried to choose crowd pleasers as well as wines of geek-interest. My notes may be terrible (there were no spit buckets, I took no notes, and wrote them using my muddled memory and defective palate later that night).
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1997 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières
Oxidized and dead. A shame; a recent '04 was beautiful. NR (flawed) -
1999 Luneau-Papin / Domaine Pierre de la Grange Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Le “L” d’Or - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine
Wow, this was one of the WOTN’s against serious contenders. Lemon, florals, minerals. Not showing much age at this point. -
2011 Ceritas Chardonnay Peter Martin Ray - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Beautiful and balanced chard. Showing a bit of new oak at the moment, but the medium weight mineraled orchard fruit and citrus are perfectly showcased with crisp acidic cut. Really enjoyed this, but needs a bit more time.
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1994 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
If rating the nose only, I’d label this an outstanding wine. Gorgeous tobacco and licorice waft from the glass. So how can the palate be so shrill? Followed over many hours. The nose stayed lovely, the palate austere to the point of tasting metallic. Food didn’t help. Perhaps the palate will evolve, but I don’t hold much hope for my remaining bottle. -
2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Very nice. Clean for a Beau. Well within it’s drinking window. Surprisingly pleased the crowd and the geeks. -
2005 Betz Family Syrah La Serenne - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Young out of a magnum, a little northern rhone bacon fat and dark berries, but a bit of heat. Nice, not outstanding. -
2001 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Wish I had bought more when I had the chance. Solid late middle-aged Cote-Rotie. Dark berries, notes of gamey iron/blood, iodine, olive. Moderate long finish, finely balanced. -
1990 Château Sociando-Mallet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Very fine. At or perhaps a little past it’s apogee. Savory, slightly vegetal, mostly tertiary leather and earth, plus anise, cassis. Stayed aromatically attractive and interesting for many hours. -
1998 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series - USA, Washington
Surprisingly primary, not at all showing it’s age. No alcohol burn or overripe fruit or oak dominance, this was well done. Enjoyed by all. -
2004 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills
Maybe the biggest wine of the night. Extracted and oaked; cassis candy on vanilla toast (but not in as bad a way as it sounds). I think the crowd liked this as much as any other wine served; I didn’t subject any of the europhiles to it. Very well made for its style, and not showing any signs of decline.
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1985 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
An eternal wine, only showing its age with lanolin and wool. No oxidative notes. Citrus, almost demi-sec level of sweetness. Another enjoyed by both the crowd and the wine geeks, and greatly enjoyed by me.
Good times, great friends, fine wines and a good cause.
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