Blind is Beautiful Tasting at 32 East

Wines with Appetizers

2008 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted Blind (Black Bag 1): Bright red cherry, some vanilla but primarily red fruit. Most int he group guessed Washington State. This was my wine and I orgininally thought Washington to but after I identified the sweet but somewhat tart finish, I nailed the correct bottle. Originally I thought 2005 to 2008, but there was a youthful edginess that finished with some cocoa that changed my mind. (91 pts.)

1998 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
Tasted Blind ( Red Bag #2): Sweet blueberry with a perfume nose with violets. Rich in the mid palate but exhibited some dustiness. Some thought Ritherford fruit. I had guessed Phelps Insignia but was wrong. Finish was a little flat but it had some vanilla and oak in the finish. As the night progressed, picked up some tobacco on the finish. Got dustier as the night went on. Fruit began to fade quickly. (89 pts.)

2004 Corliss Estates Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Tasted Bind ( Red Bag #3): This is killer juice. Inviting candied nose. Entry had some cedar and tobacco but definitely not Bordeaux. Fruit was mostly currants and plums. Seamless mid-palate and great mouthfeel. I guessed young Napa. Wrongo. This wine is elegant. (96 pts.)

1995 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
Tasted Blind ( Red #4): This is exactly why blind tastings rock. I am definitely guilty of writing off certain vineyards and Silver Oak has been on that list over the last five years. This wine tasted aged. It was elegant and soft on entry. Some guessed Bordeaux and others thought Dominus. This wine is in a great spot and was regal. A bit of a clipped finish but that is splitting hairs. Fruit is near peak but this is sophisticated juice. Guilty as charged for writing off a great wine! Will think my pre-conceptions in the future. (95 pts.)

2008 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted Blind (Red Bag #5): Somewhat sour and tin. Initially very disappointing and that view was shared by the group. Everyone was silently hoping it wasn't there wine. The wine felt over-manipulated, tannic and thin. Just too simple. The interesting thing is I had this a few weeks back in a non-blind setting and really liked it. Was it pre-conception or was this an off bottle. I will reserve judgment to try again before writing it off. (17 views) (84 pts.)

Wines with Main Courses
1996 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace - USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
Tasted Blind (Red Bag #1): This looked and tasted older than the first flight. It tasted tired and lacked character. Not a lot of fruit and the tannins were overpowering. Some guessed Diamond Creek and they were right. It wasn't me. I had no clue accept I didn't like it. After the reveal, a few thought that the wine needed another decade and all I could think of was if the fruit ain't here now, how could it show up in ten years? Clearly a bias to seeing the label. Blind is beautiful in these circumstances. (83 pts.)

1999 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection - USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted blind (Black bag #2). Everyone smelled it said, whoa, this is funky and musty. Flat and dead. Undrinkable. Cork was very crumbly. Won't make judgment. The person that brought it said others in the same lot recently were really good. (FLAWED)

2008 Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
Tasted Blind (Black Bag #3) Beautiful fruit, big and bold. I guessed mid 2000s Napa. I thought it might have been the Realm that I brought but ws wrong. The wine had a great sweetness. Mnay said, I want to buy this wine. Very enjoyable. (93 pts.)

2005 Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
Tasted Blind (Black Bag #4): Young and sweet, just like I like them!! Red fruit, including strawberry and red cherry. The fruit profile was bright and laser focused. Seamless. Someone thought that they drink this all the time in the tasting but I was the only one with any Realm experience. Ain't blind fun. (92 pts.)

2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia - USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted Blind (Red Bag #5): The wine was black as night. Gorgeous wine and nose. Proper structure, tannins and backbone. Very well made. Some guessed Insignia and they were right. This wine is full of blackberry, black cherry and plum. It is built to last. Finished a buit on the tannic side. (92 pts.)

Wine of the Night: 2004 Corliss
Surprise of the Night: 1995 Silver Oak Alexander Valley
Disappointments of the night: 99 Caymus SS, 2008 Paul Hobbs Napa, 1996 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace

Blind is Beautiful!!

Wine Pairings with Chinese Food at Uncle Tai's

We debated in our tasting group of what to bring for a dinner like this. There was no set menu and it was a free for all when ordering. Appetizers ranged from candied walnuts, schezchuan dumplings, soft shell crab and noodle in peanut sauce. Meals ranged from Peking Duck, Scheczuan Whole Fish, scallops as well as other chicken dishes. We started with whites, went to pinot and finished with two syrahs and an Aussie uperstar.



2008 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Vieilles Vignes - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC
This was the WOTN for me as it paired really well with Chinese food. Beautiful golden color. Honey suckle, apricot and lemon peel on the nose and pallet with a touch of nectarine. Great acidity and some wet stone minerality that added character. Excellent mouthfeel and body to this wine. Sweet but not cloying. Better served on the chillier side. (94 pts.)

2005 Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC
Crisp, clean and solid acidic mid palate with depth of flavors: mostly lemon and grapefruit for me. Finished with subtle vanilla undertones. Somewhat simple but nice pairing with the Chinese food. (87 pts.)

2007 Melville Pinot Noir Swan Clone Estate - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills
Now we are talking. I was doubtful that pinot would match with Chinese food but it worked really well. Forest floor and raspberry nose. Same on palate. This is a delicious wine with great body and awesome finish. Silly how well made this is! The sweet cherry finish had me sold! (93 pts.)

2005 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills
Went well with spicy Chinese fish. Bright red fruit but a bit tart in the mid-palate. This wine is fresh and young in a big Cali style. I think it may show better in a year. (91 pts.)

2006 Grand Rêve Vintners / Force Majeure Syrah Collaboration Series III Ciel du Cheval Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
This wine was somewhat awkward with the food pairing of Chinese whole fish. It was well made and well balanced. Blackberry and other black fruit formed a chewy mid palate. The finish was nice, a bit soft and somewhat non-descript on this showing.
On Day2, since there was 1/3 bottle left, the wine showed beautifully. I let it slow ox overnight and the complexity really came out. I would give it 92 points on Day 2. The moral of the story is... Don't eat with Chinese food and decant or slow ox this puppy for a long time before drinking it. (87 pts.)

2007 Ramey Syrah Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Like the Grand Reve, I just think this score was more a function of the pairing with our meal and not the wine itself. It was awkward as well. Nice smokey nose with a bit of heat in the nostrils. The fruit was there with red cherry and some blood sausage but it seemed hollow and thin. I just didn't get it. I reserve the right to re-visit this wine in a different atmosphere as I think it may show differently with better food pairing. (85 pts.)

2004 Clarendon Hills Astralis - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon
What a nose! My first impression and taste was all soft raspberry with a milk chocolate drizzle. I really liked the pairing with our chinese food but is not as luscious as other Astralis that I have had, espcially the 1997 which I thought was monumental. This wine was somewhat one dimernsional in its flavor proflile. Don't get me wrong, it is a great bottle of wine and will last a decade. (92 pts.)