A wonderful event at Amy & Scott’s last night. This was a high low event where one wine is around $40 and the other one $80 or higher. I did double duty and did the Chablis and Bordeaux Flights. Many great wines and good times with the wine geeks.
Well this was a fun high/low blind tasting where each team paired up with the following categories:
Champagne (0 votes for best flight)
Chablis (1 vote for best flight)
Pinot Noir (4 votes for best flight)
Syrah (1 vote for best flight)
Bordeaux (3 votes for best flight)
Starter
Nice but nothing special.
- N.V. Cave des Vins de Sancerre Comte de la Chevalière Rosé – France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
Could not find a vintage date on this but nice overall with strawberries, minerals and mild spice. Nice refreshing offering. (85 pts.)
Champagne
Good value on the NV but the vintage would rather drink Piper Rare
- 2007 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas François – France, Champagne
Just a slight oxidized note others would have scored this higher. Chalk, minerals, spice, pie crust, apricots and lemon. Complex wine overall and medium plus finish. Nice acidity and drinking in a good window. 92+ (92 pts.) - N.V. Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Réserve – France, Champagne
Very nice wine in our high/low tasting. Apple, spice, chalk, burnt toast, and lemon. Very clean Champagne and medium finish. Nice acidity. Solid NV.
Split on whether it was high or lower end and split on whether everyone liked it better than the high or lower end Champagne. (91 pts.)
Chablis
My biggest difference in points of any flight. The Fevre is stock up while the price is low. Also Diam 10 closure so no more premox.
- 2019 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux Vieilles Vignes – France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Nice but much lighter than the 19 Fevre Les Clos. Shell, s[ice, chalk, lemon, tangerine and minerals. A well made wine but pales in comparison which it should to the Les Clos. Biggest gap in scores of this tasting.
From my last tasting of this it got better over 3 days as I would say this bottle would have as well.
4 liked this better out of nine (5 for the Fevre Les Clos)
6 Said less expensive out of nine (3 thought the Les Clos was less expensive) (90 pts.) - 2019 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos – France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Well this was singing tonight and will only get better. Clearly a much better wine than the 2019 Michel Butteaux. More intense and beautiful minerality. Shells, orange peel, spice, dust, lemon, grapefruit and stone. Medium plus finish and could drink this every week. Love Les Clos. 94+
5 of 9 liked better (4 liked the Michel Butteaux 19 better)
3 out of 9 thought less expensive (6 thought more expensive than the Michel Butteaux) (94 pts.)
Pinot Noir
Groups favorite flight but really my lease favorite. Not a Drouhin fan but the Roserock did surprise me.
- 2018 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
I liked this less then everyone else than the 2023 rose rock which I found more elegant. Not really a fan of this winery in general. Suble oak, cherry, ripe strawberries, earth, rose petals. Bigger style and did not think this was from Oregon and thought Russian River. Needs time.
2 thought lower end (7 thought higher end)
8 liked it better (only me liked it less than the RoseRock) (91 pts.) - 2023 Drouhin Oregon Roserock Pinot Noir – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola – Amity Hills
Well for being young drinking pretty well. I liked this better than the more expensive Drouhin Laurene but as mentioned not a fan of this winery in general. More elegant with floral, mild spice, minerals and lighter fruits. A drink now to 2030 wine.
7 thought lower end (2 thought higher end)
1 liked it better (8 liked the Laurene Better)
The only lower end wine I liked better during the night. (92 pts.)
Bordeaux
My favorite flight and both would buy again.
- 2018 Château Chauvin – France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
My favorite flight of the tasting and while both young tons of potential here. Rich wine with oak, cassis, coffee beans, dust and earth. Picks up some tobacco on the medium plus finish. 92
I have had this before and like many of the wines at this tasting would have shown better on day 2 and 3 and this is no exception.
7 thought lower end (2 thought higher end)
2 like this better than the 2019 Leoville Barton (7 did not) (92 pts.) - 2019 Château Léoville Barton – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Outstanding quality and while not at the cellar tracker average on this one I was only able to try this on day 1 so yes that is accurate as this would have improved a few points. A rich, powerful wine with oak, vanilla, cherry, minerals, cigar, dust, earth and leather. Super complex and long finish. 30 year wine. 94-96.
2 thought lower end (7 thought higher end)
7 like this better than the Chauvin (2 did not) (94 pts.)
Syrah Washington
Solid flight and my second favorite overall.
- 2013 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Interesting as I thought my friend would through in a Result of a Crush Syrah for the high low. This is a dead ringer to the 2017 Result Syrah which a few years ago beat this wine in a blind tasting and is almost a mirror image of it. Medium purple with dust, stone, green olives, blueberries, tar and smoked meats. Medium plus finish and drinking great right now but has 5 more years of enjoyment or more. 94 points
5 thought higher end (4 lower end vs. the L’Ecole Syrah)
4 liked this better (5 liked the L’Ecole Syrah better)
Third favorite wine of the night for this tasting. (94 pts.) - 2021 L’Ecole No. 41 Syrah – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Agree with the assessment of the notes so far. A good Syrah but not amazing. L’Ecole is more known for their Cab/Merlots. In the blind tasting thought Aussie Shiraz with black pepper, spice, darker fruits and floral notes. Medium finish. Drink these on the younger side.
5 thought higher end (4 lower end)
5 liked this better than the Cayuse (4 did not including me by 3 points)
Interesting that more like this style of Syrah which is fine with me than the Rocks as it keeps prices down and auction bargains galore. (91 pts.)
My top 3:
2019 Leoville Barton
2019 William Fevre Les Clos
2013 Cayuse Syrah
While the event was a lot more work than a typical event it was worth the effort and we should do this more often.
Great tasting
Wow wish I could get an invite.