Last night was my turn to host my little Dobbs Ferry group. I put out some cheeses, sausages, and dips, made a batch of sausage and peppers so guys could try my homemade sausages and gave the dog a bone to keep her occupied. Theme was "50+% Cabernet" and everyone brought a blind bottle. While we gathered we sampled a couple off-theme wines:
2007 Sylvain Langoureau Saint-Aubin
Nice mid-bodied Chard, I thought a little oaky at first, but when I revisited didn't find new oak at all! Good crispness, quite minerally in a chalky kind of way, fresh. B+
2007 Sella "Orbello" (Coste della Sesia)
(the cooking wine for the sausage and peppers) Red fruits, herby, higher acid, light to mid-bodied. Kind of Chinon meets Langhe. Tasty and fun, but maybe needs food (or time, the 04 was drinking well a couple months ago). B
On to the main course, the blind wines:
#1 - (decanted couple hours Fred says) ripe cassis and red plums, a little leather, no apparent oak. Low acid, moderate tannins. I'm guessing Northern Medoc for a hot vintage, I get it, but my guesses go downhill from there. 2003 Sarget de Gruaud (St Julien) B
#2 - mine, so no guesses. I thought I had drunk all of these, found recently during my Montrose hunt, decided to give a try (with a backup bottle, as this was during the problem period). No sign of TCA. Fully mature, a bit of cedar and vanilla over a core of black cherry and plum fruits, good. 1999 BV "Rutherford" Cabernet Sauvignon. B/B+
#3 - lighter than preceding bottles. Red fruit, not very Cabby, a bit of herbaceousness. I guess Chile, no it's the 2006 Hess Selection Cabernet Sauvignon. C+
#4 - whoa, not much doubt that this is new world. Thick, almost syrupy feeling, blackberries and a little minty note. Others would like more than me. Napa or Australia? 2005 Panacea "Vindetta" (Napa Valley). C+/B-
#5 - this is also big and modern, but with a bit of earth, and a more classic cassis cast to the fruit. Pretty tasty, and I predict it's a recent modern styled Bordeaux, no it's the 2006 Stella Grey Red Wine (Napa Valley). This is one of those brands that Zachys basically owns, I've ignored offers for it, but this is a nice wine. B+
Shocked that we only had one Bordeaux in the mix (even the Belgian brought a US!), I opened the1986 Ch. Meyney (St Estephe). Some Cordier funk, more passing a pasture than stepping in it, solid blackcurrant fruit, cigarbox, leather. Good showing. A-
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.