WTN: EWG (4 of us) drink 4 blended wines

Our EWG tasting group was widdled down to 4 last weekend. It was a nice, casual evening at a little neighborhood place in Echo Park. All the wines showed well. Theme was blended wines.

• 1996 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, Brut - France, Champagne (11/23/2008)
  1996 is clearly a tremendous vintage for Champagne. I've been fortunate to taste some of the great houses (Salon, M&C DP) as well as countless growers. When I saw this bottle pulled out I was very excited as I have memories of a superb 1995. Well this was hands down the most stunning '96 for current pleasure I've tried to date. Open and showing grace, power, balance and complexity at this early stage. Classic mesmerizing aromas, a delicate bead, perfect acidity and very long. It was difficult to avoid returning to this wine. I believe the great houses will be undoubtedly amazing and likely some will outlive and eclipse this wine, but tonight, this was a special bottle of magic.
  
• 1999 Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/23/2008)
  A good bottle here. Aromas of dark fruit, garrigue and brown spices that continue to the palate. Additional time produces some interesting complexity, notably leather, scortched earth and violet. Very well balanced with very little tannins left but enough to hold the acid in check. I wish my other Marocoux's were this good.
  
• 1989 Domaine Tempier Bandol Cuvée Spéciale La Tourtine - France, Provence, Bandol (11/23/2008)
  What is it about Mourvedre that allows it to age at a snails pace? This wine took it's time revealing dark fruits, some spice and a touch of iodine. The tannins are still hanging on and slowly backed off through the evening. I believe this was double decanted but cannot recall the decant time. No doubt, this was a joy to consume this evening. I'm intrigued by the dusty earth and other tertiary elements. Several more years of cellaring will hopefully help the Migoua to shed it's shell.
  
• 2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/23/2008)
  A dark a brooding beast of a wine, this wine is clearly just a toddler. It's difficult to asses this wine in terms of current drinking pleasure. I like more mature elements, yet also enjoy wines with baby fat. This had neither. It seems to have significant material but for the most part this wine seems to be in need of many years to sort itself out. I have a feeling this wine will be stunning when it comes out of it's shell. I'm guessing at least 2018. There is definitely a sense of balance, though a touch of heat is noticeable on the back end. Current aromas and palate notes are of little value right now.

[David M. Bueker]

That's quite the amazing selection of wines. I appreciate the Winston Churchill note. I have a bottle of that coming.

Clos des Papes is an intriguing wine for me. I am really not sure whether I like it or not. Time will have to tell. I'm glad I did not go long on it despite the hype.

'99 Chateauneuf is in just about the perfect place for my palate. Looks like you felt the same way.

Infarct on the Tempier designation, now debrided.

I bought so little '03 CdP, I'm not too concerned about the vintage performance, other than curiosity.

[Jenise]

Clos des Papes is an intriguing wine for me. I am really not sure whether I like it or not.

Only had it twice and both times young bottles, but so far same here. Just a bit too-too, at least early on.

my comments are somewhat different - more philosophical if you will.

it has never occurred to me to call wines from a single vineyard 'blended' wines. i'm thinking that only a new world prejudice in favor of 'varietal' wines - no matter how far apart their sources may have been - over estate wines - whatever may be grown on the estate - can account for this, to me, odd use of the word 'blended'. i guess i could elaborate on this point; but probably no need to except to note that a 100% cabernet made 40% from grapes grown in sonoma, 30%from grapes grown in napa, 10% from grapes grown in mendocino and 20% from central coast doesn't seem to count as a blended wine for some reason. of course the pol roger is almost certainly blended even in the source of its grapes - though not as far afield as the above example.

another point: the US standard for varietal wines is 75%. at least 3 of those wines have a chance of being 75% of a single variety. according to stevenson the pol roger should be between 70 and 80% Pinot Noir; and the two CDP's are certainly at least 70% Grenache.

That's an interesting perspective David, one that I freely admit was not a consideration (i.e vineyard or AVA blends). This was a very loose theme based on varietal blends. A Cote Rotie with 3% Viogner would have qualified. The US criteria for varietal correctness was not an issue as referenced is made in the previous sentence (plus there were no domestics in this line up). That said, you have planted the seed for a future theme. Thanks.