Is anyone else a fan of hodgepodge tasting nights with no theme, just good wines standing alone. Last night’s tasting with friends!

Had a tasting last night with 7 friends and there was no theme. Just discovering some new wines and revisiting some favorites. Wines of all ages, some too old, some too young all in the name of curiosity!

1. 2018 Pierre Gimonnet Oeniphile Non Dose

I love to return to this and everytime I do I just think damn this is not beginner champagne lol. It’s so complex and like drinking out of a shell it’s so minerally and salty. Obvious bone dry(brut nature) and pear and apple work with the minerality. The finish last ages and although it has 7 years of bottle age it’s bright as can b

1. 2023 Gunderloch GG Rotherberg Nackheim Riesling

As I drank this I kept thinking damn this will be good in 10 years. Had everything you would want of a GG but needs some years to develop and battle the lees contact flavor that I found to be a little overpowering. But holy cow the fruit was pure and bright.

1. 2019 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano D’Abruzzo

My first time having this wine. I just kept thinking THIS is trebbiano??? So floral with hibiscus and acacia and medium acidity. Had a nice tinge of oxidation that added a layer of complexity. Definitely interesting and complex but unsure if worth the price at 100$

1. 2023 Domaine Huet Le Mont Vouvray

You just cannot go wrong with this wine. It’s always borderline perfect. The chamomile and honey get sliced open with that racy acidity. The cheapest wine of the flight but stood its ground and even stood out.

1. 2021 Lynch Bages Blanc

One of my favorite Bordeaux Blancs and it was as good as I remember. the Sauvignon Blanc and semillon blend beautifully and the waxyness plays with the freshness and the kiss of oak( I’m very oak sensitive lol) elevates it.

1. 2019 Garage Wines Vigno Carignan

I have had Garage Wines before but never this single vineyard top tier carignan. This was the surprise of the night. So beautifully balanced but classic old vine mouth feel with a peppery finish that lasts for days. If you can find this, buy it….

1. 2023 Domaine de la Cote Memorious PN

My first DDLC and was obvious very young but extremely delicious. So green and dens it could easily be filled into thinking it was Chilean Carmenere in a blind tasting if I didn’t notice the forest floor. The use of whole whole clusters add such a cool presence of a misty forest rock and everyone loved it. I imagine it will be singing in 5-7ish years

1. 2001 Paulliac Latour/Duhart Milton Blend for Chalone Importers

This is an interesting wine made for a no longer in business importer. I recently opened 96 I had and it was totally dead from not being stored properly, but this was the opposite. It was beautiful aged Bordeaux to a tee. Tobacco, dusty old fruit with a smudge of thag barbeque sauce/soy sauce umami. Very surprising but a welcome one at that. From what I understand this is a blend of grapes from the Lafite and Duhart Milon vineyards. Have had this bottle for a while but never been able to find info on it.

1. 2011 Chapoutier La Mordoree Cote Rotie

I mean it’s chapoutier syrah. Should need me to tell yall it was amazing. Deep and complex with that trademark peppered meat and dark berry harmony. What a gorgeous and complex wine and found myself annoyed I hadn’t been spitting the whole time because my buzz was going and I felt I couldn’t appreciate what was in my glass. Live and learn lol

Well that’s all folks. The winner were the Lynch Bages Blanc, Vigno, and La Mordoree

Cheers