TN: Neighborhood Game Night assortment

NEIGHBORHOOD GAME NIGHT ASSORTMENT - Our home (3/11/2012)

Last night, my wife and I invited a bunch of our neighbors over to play board games. It was a fun night as there was pot luck food along with wine and beer. I pulled out some wines from the cellar that were diverse and good but didn’t demand that we pay attention. As one man said, these wines are probably really good, but we are not giving them their due. No matter, the night was about friends, laughing and getting to know each other.

  • 2007 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Herrenweg de Turckheim - France, Alsace, Turckheim, Alsace AOC
    Light golden in color. The nose has some dried pineapple and a underlying minerality. On the palate, this is pretty much dry. Nice minerality. There is a slightly viscous texture. Nice finish. Easy to drink and a crowd pleaser. (90 pts.)
  • 2009 Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine
    For $12, its hard to think of a better wine value. The nose has lots of chalk, minerals, limes and granny smith apples. Crisp with nice acidity. On the palate, this is clean and lean. Great with food. Showing some layering. Nice finish. (89 pts.)
  • 2007 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Herrenweg de Turckheim - France, Alsace, Turckheim, Alsace AOC
    Light golden. I just love the nose on these wine. Lychee, pineapple, slightly floral, its intoxicating. On the palate, this has a slightly lush texture. Enough acidity to be crisp. Pineapples meets minerals meets tangerine rind. Long finish. Works with food or as a cocktail. Very nice. (91 pts.)
  • 2008 Sineann Pinot Noir Yates Conwill Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
    I drink a lot of Sineann (been friends with Peter since our college days in the late 70’s) but can’t remember if I had this one before. It really showed well, perhaps a testament to the vintage as much as the vineyard. Ruby red in color. The nose has dark cherries with an earthy/gravelly under layer. Clean. On the palate, cherries and dark cherries. Perhaps some Faygo Red Pop as well. Young but there is some tight layering. This is a big wine for Oregon standard, but remains light on its feet. Nice finish. (92 pts.)
  • 2005 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Falstaff Road Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
    This is very different from the Sineann. Showing much more maturely. The nose has cherries, a slight muddy, earthy quality with a bit of damp charred wood. Nice. On the palate, this is much more feminine but still has this warm, musty cherry quality that is quite enjoyable. A bit candied. Nice mouthfeel. Worked better with food. I don’t know if this gets better from here, but no real hurry. (91 pts.)
  • 2007 Kapcsandy Family Winery Endre - USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville
    In one of those small world things, one of my neighbors worked with Lou Kapcsandy before Lou moved to Napa started his winery. I opened this one, to give him a taste of the wines (when the others are a bit more mature we can try those too). This was pop and pour. The nose shows some oak off the bat, but it does fade somewhat with air. Lots of cassis, some cherries and some brown tobacco. Nice texture. Showing some tightly layered complexity. Fruit with earth. Nice acidity. Long finish. Its best days are ahead, but this was a real crowd pleaser now. (91 pts.)
  • 2004 Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico
    Probably opened a bit too young, nevertheless, this showed well. The nose showed cherries, saddle leather and some tarragon. On the palate, this has a nice backbone of acidity that worked well with food. Cherries and dried cherries. Nice finish. (90 pts.)
  • 2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Old Vine - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
    So much for making these last as this was my last bottle. So young but so delicious. The nose has black raspberries with some charred wood and a slight bramble note. Lush and juicy. On the palate, lots of juicy fruit. Exuberant and easy to drink. The crowd drank this one quickly. (91 pts.)

Of course, we also opened a bottle of 2009 Persona to try as well. It was a very fun night and I look forward to more!
Posted from CellarTracker

Loren - I am curious if you decanted the Bedrock Old Vine. I remember Morgan mentioning last fall that it needed a good decant. Thanks, Steve

Steve, nope. Pop and pour. I drank a few of these and all have been good to go. Interesting though.

Thanks Loren. I will need to pop my first one soon.

Steve, I’ve opened a few of these and they’ve all shown great from the get-go without a decant.

Thanks for the notes Loren.

Loren - I think your note is spot on regarding the 2009 Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie. I do, however, disagree with your comment about it’s value. For a dollar or two more, you can get Olivier’s Clos des Briords cuvee that, in many vintages, makes the Sur Lie cuvee seem somewhat pedestrian.

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Matt, I agreebut its hard to beat at $12. And for $15, there is not a better wine value out there either than the Briords. And for $16, the Luneau Papin Clos des Allies Muscadet. It goes on and on. Muscadet rocks.

WL has the Briords for $12.98! I think I’ve gone through close to a case and a half already!