Wine Tasting on October 17, 2008

Present are Uncle-N, Winepath, Piroca, and Jimmy. Uncle-E was delayed by a late meeting and could not make it. Grasshopper has been absent for long time. Vicarious tasting is not as good as actually tasting, Grasshopper. We blind tasted 4 wines. Except for one, three were pretty good.

1. Musella Amarone 2003, Score=2+~3

Again this wine proves that we cannot tell anything about wines. Nice dark color with black cherry nose. The palate is good with black fruits and good firm tannin. There is a bitter finish (mostly tannin). We all thought (except for the contributor Winepath) that this is a new world wine and probably Cali Cab or Argentinean Cab, Malbec blend. How wrong can we be? We all tasted this one before and Uncle-N and Winpath even shared a case of this wine. Above all, we thought we could tell Amarone from other wines anytime. After we knew what this was, we started tasting raison-like taste etc but it was too late.
“Wine Enthusiast; Members of the Pasqua family bought this historic property (with an adorable bed & breakfast) and founded a new wine estate in 1995. Since then, Musella has emerged as one of the best Amarone producers outside the Classico zone. This wine delivers incredible intensity and purity of aromas: Distinct notes of coffee, cherry and roasted nut comprise a compact and clean presentation. It’s chewy, sweet with a velvety, soft texture in the mouth. Score: 93. —Monica Larner, October 01, 2007.”

2. Pearmund Petit Verdot 2006, Score=2

The nose is the best part of this wine; a bit grapy with black pepper and hint of coffee. The color is nicely dark and it is a good start but the palate is disappointing. It is rather thin with short finish and acidic kick at the end. Tannin is not strong or not well constructed. According to Winpath, it is very vegetal and he suggested Cab Frank and surprisingly even its origin as “Virginia”. Cab blend possibly from Chile was also suggested. Uncle-N brought this (left over from his trip to Inn at Little Washington and winery tour of Northern Virginia several month ago) because Piroca said he could tell P. Verdot and P. Syrah from their color in the previous tasting. GV of Winelibrary happened to taste this in a Winelibrary TV episode sometime ago and gave 86 which we agree, but may go lower. This is not a wine we would like to try again. Here is the write up at the winery website. “Blackberry aromas with rich plum flavors. Well-rounded tannins and a smooth finish. Earthy, rustic, and warm. Limited production.”

3. Mas D'en Gil Coma Vella 2001, Score=2+~3+

Color is dark with a nose of black fruit with spices especially rosemary and dark chocolate. Some detected slight funk, which dissipated quickly. The palate is not particularly fruit forward but very complex with predominantly black fruits accompanied by spice box, smoke and coffee, and a chocolate layer ending in nice firm tannin. European origin was suggested. Winepath thought this is Bordeaux probably Merlot predominating like Medoc. Piroca initially thought non-European but at the end suggested Spain. This happens to be Coma Vella from Priorat, Spain.
“94 Points - Jay Miller - The Wine Advocate; The 2001 Coma Vella is a blend of 30% Carinena, 20% Garnacha Peluda, 20% Garnacha Pais. 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Syrah. This full-bodied (14.5% alcohol) wine was aged 12 months in French oak. It is opaque purple in color with seductive notes of smoke, meat, and game, as well as black cherry, licorice, and minerals. Opulent, thick, and rich, it will drink well for 6-8 years."

4. Clarendon Hills Hickenbotham Vineyard Syrah 2004, Score=3~3+

Color is dark almost black with nice nose which contains menthol or minty note with some earthiness or smokiness. The palate is nice with viscous mouth coating texture with black fruits coming at you like freight trains with nice integrated tannin. We detected not much meat juice or pepper flavors. Most of us like this the best among today’s wines. This is more fruits forward and in the face new world wine but extremely nice. Coma vella to me is more elegant and subtle but this is personal preference.
"One of McLaren Vale’s most astonishing Syrahs is Clarendon Hills’ amazing 2004 Syrah Hickinbotham. Its inky/blue/purple hue is accompanied by aromas and flavors of creme de cassis, smoked meats, melted licorice, coffee beans, graphite, and bacon fat. Extremely full-bodied, powerful, and rich, with moderately high tannin, huge structure as well as massive concentration and intensity, but a sense of elegance, balance, and equilibrium, it should be cellared for 2-3 years, and drunk over the following two decades."-Wine Advocate