I joined the Wine Woot folks in the Northern Virginia area for their close to monthly sometimes twice monthly tasting. This month’s theme was wines from California and France from the year 2000 or earlier. (Some were a touch younger, but we gave them a pass.) I didn’t bring a wine this time, so instead I contributed food. Loweeel covered me on the wine!
1998 Gustavo Thrace Chardonnay: Honey, sweet, smells like a late harvest wine, overripe apple, caramel, sharp in the mouth, lemon, golden raisins, totally different on the palate than on the nose.
1991 Byron Pinot Noir Reserve: Leather, earth, smoky, sour cherry, raspberry, mushroom, strawberry.
1997 Kent Rasmussen Pinot Noir Reserve: cherry, red fruit, eucalyptus, mint, smoke, red berries, strawberry, smoky funk.
1979 Sebastiani Vineyards Petite Sirah Proprietor’s Reserve: Still fairly dark for an old wine. No fruit on nose. Chocolate, raisin, little port like on the nose, something plasticy, thin in the mouth. Past its prime.
1983 Guenoc Victorian Claret: Murky orange color, peppers, chocolate, port like, funky aftertaste, like eating a yellow pepper.
1989 Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal: Spice, plum, not much fruit in the mouth, pepper, manure.
1994 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon: Berries, really nice nose, fruity, smoke, tart berries, currants, still young. Really liked this one.
1990 Mirassou Vineyards Petite Sirah: Blueberry, red fruit, tart, smoky, chocolate, cranberry juice, raisins. Really nice.
2005 Chaeau Montelena Estate Zinfandel: Nice mint, red fruit, red currants, pepper, cracked pepper, red fruit, berries.
1999 Chateau Grand Mayne: Pepper, funk, vegetal, peppers, sharp, herbal.
2000 Chateau Cote Montpezat: Plum, pepper, fruity, slightly sweet nose, chocolate, very light in the mouth, cherry.
1999 Nova Wines Marilyn Merlot: Simple, plummy, fruity, raisins, some heat.
1997 Gunlach Bundschu Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Reserve Rhinefarm Vineyard: Pepper, eucalyptus, berries, black fruit, fruity.
1999 Verite Le Muse: Funky, peppers, cherries, not a lot of fruit on the nose, blackberries, plums.
1997 Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Cask: Chocolate, dark currants, berries, spice, cream, smooth, red fruit, currants, pepper.
1999 Summers Winery Charbono Villa Andriana: Won for best wine of the night. Chocolate, brown sugar, mint, tart cherries, raspberries, smooth, tart, ready to drink, tasty.
1999 Dard et Ribo Crozes-Hermitage: Smoky, sharp nose, charred meat, pepper, BBQ, sharp fruit, cough syrup, odd aftertaste.
1997 Marham Petite Sirah: Indistinguishable dark fruit on the nose, sweet fruit, raisin, blue fruit.
1999 Kent Rasmussen Petite Sirah Leeds-Chavez Vineyard: Blueberry, chocolate, caramel, perfumey, spice, nice fruit, tasty, well done.
2000 Pierre Sparr Alsace Grand Cru Riesling: Honey, lemon, flowers, crisp, minerals.
1988 Chateau Bellevue Monbazillac: Honeyed stone, golden raisins, honey, apricots, candied pineapple.
1999 Chateau Partarrieu Sauternes: Honeyed pineapple, minerals, tropical fruit, light, nice acidity, not too sweet.
Needless to say, with all the food and all the wine, we tasted for nearly 4 hours and my palate was pretty dead by the end! Thanks again to the Wine Wooters for organizing another great tasting!
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