This previous week, I carried out one other Blind Tasting at our humble little abode right here in Houston, to which I invited different wine writers from the world. This month was the Seventh Annual World’s Largest Blind Tasting of American Glowing Wine, which featured 48 glowing wines from California and Oregon.
As with years previous, we first chilled the wines, then eliminated all of the corks and foil from the bottles after which inserted them into baggage. Then, those that didn’t bag the wines then randomly numbered the hidden bottles. This fashion, whereas we knew what wines have been within the tasting, there was no option to establish the order by which we tasted the wines.
We tasted 4 wines at a time, taking notes on every wine, and specializing in normal impressions and preferences after which briefly mentioned every flight earlier than shifting on to the following set of 4 wines.
Right here, within the order that they have been tasted, are the primary 12 wines. I’ll publish the remaining tasting notes together with my checklist of high wines from the tasting, over the following couple of days.
NV Piper Sonoma Brut Rosé, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $22. 53% Chardonnay, 39% Pinot Noir, 6% Pinot Blanc, 2% Aged Reserve Mix. Pretty golden within the glass (it is a rosé?) with good baked apple and brioche. Good vibrant fruit (tons of apple) on the palate as effectively with an excellent sparekle and incredible tartness. The yeasty end tops it off. Implausible. Excellent. 93 Factors.
2020 Saffron Fields Winery Pinot Noir Symbolism Blanc de Noirs, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $75(?). 100% Pinot Noir. Pale straw with a somewhat muted nostril, actually not a lot in the best way of aromas. The palate is kind of tart with predominantly underripe inexperienced apple. A nice sufficient quaff. Very Good. 89 Factors.
2021 Whitehall Lane Blanc de Noirs Glowing, Petaluma Hole, CA: Retail $55. 100% Pinot Noir. Somewhat pale within the glass with extra of a stone fruit profile (peach?). Tart and a bit yeasty on the palate with great tast apple and a touch of brioche. Very good. Glorious. 91 Factors.
2018 Bryn Mawr Vineyards Pinot Noir Blanc de Noirs, Eola – Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $85. 100% Pinot Noir. One other somewhat muted nostril with some crimson scrumptious apple finally coming by way of. Medium straw coloration. Nice fruit on the palate—the crimson scrumptious (slightly below ripe) comes by way of together with an intense tartness and a touch of yeast. Glorious. 92 Factors.
2019 Stoller Pinot Noir Legacy LaRue’s Brut Rose, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $65. 60% Pinot Noir, 27% Chardonnay and 13% Pinot
Meunier. Tons of Fuji apple on the nostril of this pale straw (rosé?) wine with a pleasant fervent sparkle. The palate has an aggressive sparkle with an fascinating fruit predominant that I simply can’t place. It finishes with some good tartness and size. I prefer it. Glorious. 90 Factors.
2020 Stephen Ross Pinot Noir Blanc de Noir, San Luis Obispo County, CA: Retail $60. 100%(?) Pinot Noir. Medium coloration, an excellent straw with a shy nostril of lime and honey blossom. Refined fruit on the palate with a pleasant zingy acidity, that is well-balanced and beautiful. Glorious. 91 Factors.
NV Piper Sonoma Brut Réserve, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $22. Exceedingly Heavy Bottle (898g; 1lb 15.7oz). 92% Chardonnay, 8% Pinot Noir. Fairly pale in coloration with a stunning nostril of ripe apple and croissant-y goodness. The palate is tart, even fairly tart with beneath ripe inexperienced apple. That is fairly darned incredible. Glorious. 92 Factors.
NV Stoller Brut Glowing Wine – Property, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $40. 75% Chardonnay, 22% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Meunier. Property Disgorged 2023. Golden, virtually a rosé in look with a wealthy nostril of crimson berry fruit and croissant. Even a little bit sherried maybe. Age? The palate has some good biscuity points to it in addition to that barely oxidized fruit, and it’s beautiful. Excellent. 93 Factors.
2019 Benza Glowing Brut Crémant of Oregon, Chehalem Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $60. Varietal Composition not clear, however I assume there’s a ton of Pinot right here. Fairly pale with what looks like a contact of petrol on the nostril with tart Granny Smith apple. Fairly tart and vibrant on the palate with good steadiness and weight. Excellent. 93 Factors.
NV Piper Sonoma Brut, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $22. Exceedingly Heavy Bottle (887g; 1lb 15.3 oz). 70% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Blanc, 7% Aged Reserve Mix. Ripe crimson apple on a barely pale straw wine. Refined fruit on the nostril and palate with good steadiness and oodles of bruised apple and a touch of brioche on the end. Glorious. 91 Factors.
2018 Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir Glowing Rosé Blossom Ridge, Eola – Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $64. 100% Pinot Noir. Barely golden within the glass (rosé) with tons of tree fruit, each crimson apple and Bosc pear. Additionally a tounch of oxidation. That lends to the palate as I’m fairly certain there may be some age right here, too. Fantastic fruit and mouthfeel with the suitable quantities of oxidation and yeastiness. Excellent. 94 Factors.
Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Brut M.V. 6, Dundee Hills , Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $85. 60% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir, 6% Reserve wines. 12. Pretty shy on the nostril of this somewhat pale however good straw. Good fruit and steadiness on the palate, that is great. Glorious. 92 Factors.
Isn’t it time to dispose of all of the foil? It serves no objective….
