Wine Tasting Notes

3^RD Annual Labor Day Weekend
Wine Tasting Party

September 5, 2010

Lotsa notes people.  If you've only got a few minutes, hit the yellow highlighted ones...

WHITES

Barefoot Pinot Grigio Champagne 

Mimosa champagne – Dan S.

Complex and tasty

Blech, bitter – Stella

Yummy - Kim

Barefoot Pinot Brut Champagne

Eileen (sort of) likes it!  She refuses to jump up and down for it.  Weird smell.

Drier, flavor not as good.  Everyone liked the Barefoot Pinot Grigio better.

Kim once again likes this champagne (but then again she likes all)

“Smells like a nice bathroom at a ritzy hotel” – Stella

Huge nose, lack of taste – Kevin

“Is there any wine in this glass?” –Ellen (seconding what Kevin said)

“A spa bubbly.  Throw a strawberry in it, it would be tasty” – Stephanie

“Hotlegs (aka Julie) said she liked the first wine better”

Tara liked the first champagne better.

Cline Viogner (Bronze, 87 points)

Budweiser – The King of Wines, When you say Bud you’ve said it all.  Neutral – mild

 “Nice” “Smoky”’

Nice subtle complexity.

“No interest” “there are better ______”

“Did not taste like anything”

“I kind of liked it”

“NASTY” – Kevin

Everyone poured it out.

Subtle smell, bland tasting – Stephanie

Tara and Hotlegs liked this one.

Bogle Sauvignon Blanc (Bronze, 86 points)

Which color box was this in again?

“Is good” – okay

This is better after tasting Cypress.

“Not like.”

“A bit flabby”

“One of my favorites”

“I want more”

“Best one so far” – Matt

“Taste?  What taste?” – Kevin

“Tastes like gas” – Hotlegs

“Perfect summer wine when Cypress is not available” - Ellen

Cypress Sauvignon Blanc (Gold, 95 points)

“It’s a screw top”

Good!  Better.  Crisp, better than Bogle.

It’s so good I wouldn’t spit it out.

Nice.

Lovely” – Stella

Mark and Carrie loved it.

Bogle Riesling (Double Gold, 98 points)

I don’t like Rieslings but I like this one.

Pretty bottle.

We’re having this with spicy Thai food at Eileen’s.  Michelle will bring the vodka.

“Tasty.  Good fruit, great finish”

“Very good”

Mark likes this one

Stephanie likes this one

Middle Sister Chenin Blanc (No medal)

Simple.  Uncomplex.  Great label!  Like it.  Afternoon wine.

The Adventures of Gertie and Gerski

Speedround!

Like the middle sister, it’s “boring”

“A cross between a sweet wine and a dry wine.  I’m confused!” – Stephanie

“What kind of wine is this?” - Jennifer

Valley of the Moon Chardonnay (Silver, 92 points)

* Star on this one

We like this one.  A lot.

Buttery finish.

Good!  Oak not too _____, good fruit.  Nice balance.

“Tastes like La Crema” – Carrie

Buttery/vanilla flavors – Allan

The whole table loved it – Mark, Ellen, Kevin, Carrie, Jennifer

Kenwood Chardonnay (Silver, 88 points)

Not as good as Valley of the Moon

Good everyday wine

Perfectly acceptable

Good.

Not as good.

“Thumb’s down – gives me heartburn” – Hotlegs

Stephanie liked it.

Kevin = NO

Acacia Chardonnay (Silver, 92 points)

Claims to be “oakey”

Better than some

Best chardonnay so far

Thumbs up (count the number of wines which preceded this)

“Gross” – Stella

“Better than Kenwood, but Valley of the Moon was better” - Kevin

Leveroni Chardonnay (Gold, 94 points)

“Gives Valley of the Moon a serious run for the money” -Ellen

Buttery. Very nice.  Delicious.

I don’t know, it’s white.  Where’s the reds?

Right with the Valley of the Moon.

Too buttery. Don’t like it.

Buttery flavor – good

“Balanced, Nice even start and finish” – Kevin

“Nice dinner party wine” – Carrie

“Very good. Nice smell and taste” – Stephanie

Rodney Strong Chardonnay

We love this!  We love it a lot! 

Please Kim don’t kill us.

“Just not my style” says Dan S, taking his life in his hands.

“I like it no matter what Kim said” says Julia.

Complex!  Butter on the finish.  Oakey.  Delicious

Carrie liked it.

Kevin ranked this one third (1. Valley of the Moon   2. Leveroni    3. Rodney Strong)

Stephanie liked it.

Target Chardonnay Cube (Gold, 94 points)

Great everyday wine. 

“Vicki’s box is delicious!” says Donna

Oak and butter.  Complex.

Very good.

If I was to buy a chardonnay this would be it.

“Little buttery, good conference wine”

Robert Hall Rhone de Robles (Gold 94)

“It means Valley.” (Editor’s note:  This is the only thing written about this wine in all 3 notebooks.  Did we not taste it or had we just given up on whites by then? There was the following in one notebook:)

“No notes.  This note intentionally left blank.  Pay no attention to the notes written above.  I was slightly inebriated.  Okay.  It was more or less accurate.  Go ahead and keep them.” (Editor's note: Alan's comment I believe)

REDS

Bota Box Shiraz (Gold, 94 points)

Red in a box!  Box (Editor’s note: an actual cube was drawn here – extra points for creativity)

Stephanie shakes her head, and she hasn’t even tasted it yet. 

Smell does not match the taste.

Tastes better than it smells. 

Funky color.

Use it as a cooking wine.

Not bad!

Box o’ Red

Donna presses her own button – wine spills everywhere

Not bad – camping wine

Not totally and completely repugnant

Castle Rock Pinot Noir (Silver, 88 points)

Favorite so far.

We like this better – a little more flavor and “oomph”

“We were the victims of a conspiracy to deliberately confuse us at the White Table”

Smooth, thick, dry

Julie’s panties still on

Not a lot of flavor

Redwood Creek Pinot Noir (Silver, 90 points)

Not as much “prevance” (which is me incorrectly pronouncing “presence”)

Goes good with hot dogs

Smooth

A good after-dinner drinks wine

Less flavor than Castle Rock

OK

Editor’s Note:  “Morer reds.  Please.” is noted at the top of this page… LOLOL!

St. Amant Touriga (Double Gold, 94 points)

Don’t throw it at Kevin.

So far so good.

“Put a dab behind your ears as perfume” – Ellen

Stephanie shakes her head and says “made me want to sneeze”

Michele won’t spit it out.

Mark F likes it.

Reminds Alan of a port.

Donna thought good but a little sweet, emphasis on good

Getting a little port note!  good

“This is good” –Kevin

Smells similar to port

“Tastes like butt afterwards” - Julie

Dunnigan Hills Match Book Tempranillo Rose (Silver, 90 points)

Powerful – too much alcohol

“I like it better than the other one” – Stephanie and Michele

Stella seconds every vote of Stephanie’s.

Smoother and dry.

A bit better than touriga.

“Julie Schilling likes this!”

Yummy – peppery

Best red so far

6^th Sense Syrah (Double Gold, 98 points)         

Not a smooth sipper

A little beta

“Like my first boyfriend, awkward and fumbling yet still pretty satisfying” – Ellen

“It’s ok” – Donna

Tasty

St. Francis Cabernet Sauvignon (No medal)

Something “Cabernet” says Stephanie, and I suppose we should believe her.

Michele tastes weenie and mustard.

Light, dry

Hot and fruity

Turning Leaf Cabernet (Silver, 88 points)

Too much tannin.

“It goes good with a big fat wiener” –Stephanie

Get a thick steak – dunk (or could be “drink”?) this wine.

“Someone stuck a quarter in Julie’s butt”

Editor’s Note: “Yay!  More reds! LAST FOUR” at the top of this page.

Ghost Pine Cabernet Sauvignon  (Gold, 94 points)

“Good kick in the front!  Good kick in the end!” –Stephanie

“Strong all the way through” – Mark

“Not bad” – Vicki

“I’m done” – Carrie

“I like it” – Dan

“Have to think about it, this wine needs a fireplace” – Ellen

“I like that” – Race

Smooth good sipping wine

Good for eating – Got enough bite to go with food.

Yummy!

Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon (Silver, 92 points)

Michele pointed to the label and said “It’s a big cock”

The big cock had the long finish.

Stephanie says “it was so long, I wish I would have smoked a cigarette.”

Big cock – gals love it!

Ann and Donna are really fucked up!

Not enough of the 47lb-er to go around.

It’s red and it’s a big cock

“Julie Schilling likes this”

Not bad

Forest Ville Merlot (Bronze,  87 points)

No smell, no nose

“Teeth coater” – everyone at the table

Need a tongue scraper

“Best one I’ve had all night” – Dan

Good wine for the dark ages

Not bad

Kevin says it’s swill

Brazin Old Vine Zinfandel (Gold, 95 points)

Second favorite of the night

No, seriously, we liked this one

Brazin hussy

Not a typical zin

Not a lot of bouquet

Hello!  Wow! Good! Smooth

Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel (Silver, 89 points)

“Auld (lang?) Sygn”

Semi-tooth coater – Mark

“Strong bite” – Stephanie

“I’d like to drink that with some vampire” – Stephanie

“I wouldn’t go crazy” – Eileen

“Yeah, sure, why not?” – Dan

Should be more flavor

Should kick your ass

Brazin was better.

Editor’s Note:  Last bottle, promises Drew

Twisted Old Vine Zinfandel (Silver, 88 points)

The Captain Morgan of red wine” – Mark

“I didn’t try it” – Carrie

“Mine is bland, I must have something different” – Vicki

“I feel like a _ _ _ _” Actually she says “it’s savory” “it’s bad black licorice”

“long lasting fruit flavor – Mark – Juicy Fruit

“I thought it was good” – Dan (but!  He did spill his glass- without breaking it – some talent!) left speechless

Runquist Barbera (Gold, 94 points)   

There are absolutely NO notes about this wine.  No surprise, as it was the TWENTY NINTH bottle we tried!