For 15 years now, some incredibly generous friends and I have had this monthly dinner and tasting group. It morphed into a thematic dinner tasting too, but it was always a themed tasting of 6 wines, of some of the most renown names from well known wine regions tasted among 9 friends, that just love the food and wine experience. Here's a non-linear retrospective series of what we tasted, in crib-note form, that I'm calling...Views from the Cellar.
Pre-pours:
#1...2012 Cameron 'Wadsworth Vineyard' Single Barrel Chardonnay
#2...2010 Dom. Labet 'Cuvee Hasand' Chard/Savagnin
Themed Flight...Oregon Pinot with Age - 2002 or older (Sept 2017)
A...and in 4th place: 1999 Cristom Reserve
A mix of green hebs and RC Cola (specifically), guessing there's a fair amount of whole cluster in the production here, Green peppercorns in the palate, and a bit more sweet cola before orange-pie cherry spice dominates the finish.
B...and in 3rd place: 1999 Cristom 'Marjorie'
Similiar nose to A, but a bit more dilly over the RC Cola nose, Ashy, in the palate, big green herbs in the palate, guessing even more whole cluster, lots of cherry in the finish, but baked cherry.
C...and in 6th place (least enjoyed): 1999 Thomas Willamette Valley
The most translucent, with lots of roasted coffee notes, with a little whiff of rubber balloon and fresh marjoram, becomes more bouquet garni in the palate, where the herbs kinda dominate the rasp/cherry notes, Mouth doesn't back up what the nose gives.
D...and in 1st place (most enjoyed): 1993 Ponzi Reserve
Hawaiian BBQ sauce, with Pink peppercorns and sweet red fruits, more floral as it opens...rosehips/ gardenia, darker minerals...Volcanic soil? Aromas of dark plums, pomegranate, and hickory smoke.
E...and in 2nd place: 1999 Beaux Freres 'Beaux Freres Vineyard'
Sopresseta and red fruited compote in the nose, meaty! Sappy in the palate, going more towards balckberry/marionberry, getting more minerally and tannins are tight, tight, tight, almost minty in the back half of the taste, but a very elegant finish beyond the impressive tannins.
F...and in 5th place: 1994 Ponzi Reserve
Wooly and meaty in the nose, getting more gamey in the palate, with a lot of black peppercorns, then some sweet wood spices, palate is more like Mr. Pibb, plums, pomegranate, medjool dates, still tight as a drum.
Post/Dessert Pours:
#1...2006 Cornish Point 'Bannockburn Vineyard' Pinot Noir (Central Otago, NZ)
#2...2013 Clos de Fourges Coteaux du Layon St Avlain
#3...2008 Disznoko Kesoi Szunet Late Harvest (500ml)
#4...1997 Marcel Deiss Gewurztraminer SGN 'Quintessence' (375ml)
