This previous weekend, I performed one other Blind Tasting at our humble little abode right here in Houston, to which I invited a number of different native writers to assist me undergo the 48 bottles of home glowing wine.
The entire blind tastings (now 22 in whole–I additionally conduct blind tastings of American rosé within the Spring and American Pinot Noir within the Fall) have produced some surprises, which is, fairly frankly, why tasting blind sometimes is wholesome. It’s usually too simple to be influenced by worth, producer, or PR agency when tasting non-blind, and it’s also good to “re-center” one’s palate in a manner—to focus solely on what’s within the glass.
This was the seventh tasting of American Glowing Wine and whereas final 12 months there have been 50 corks to pop, this 12 months it dropped all the best way right down to 48 wines starting from $12 to $125. There have been 35 Bruts and 13 rosés, and all have been produced utilizing the “conventional methodology” (the identical methodology utilized in Champagne the place the secondary fermentation happens within the bottle).
We first chilled all of the wines, then eliminated the corks and foil from the bottles, after which inserted them into luggage. Then, after we had all left the room, my spouse randomly numbered the bagged wines. This manner, whereas I knew what wines have been within the tasting, there was no method to determine the order through which we tasted the wines.
Right here, within the order that they have been tasted, are the following 12 wines. I’ll publish the remaining 24 tasting notes together with my checklist of high wines from the tasting, tomorrow and Monday.
Arduous at work.
NV Gruet Vineyard Brut, New Mexico: Retail $15. 75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir. Odd nostril. Near off-putting. The palate is a bit candy, maybe, however actually odd and never excellent. Good. 84 Factors. (After the “reveal” all of us surmised this will need to have been a foul bottle from an in any other case dependable producer.)
NV Decoy Brut Cuvée, California: Retail $20. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier. Extra of an apple than a stone fruit, however each are there, doing a little bit of a pas-à-deux. A bit flabby on the palate, simply missing in acidity. There may be fruit, however not sufficient tartness to hold the wine. Very Good. 87 Factors.
2016 Sanford Blanc de Blancs, Sta Rita Hills, CA: Retail $55. Ridiculously Heavy Bottle (907g; 32oz). 100% Chardonnay. Peachy, simply peachy. With a coloration near yellow, however simply quick. Tons of apple and peach with an honest sparkle on the nostril. The palate is a bit candy, however in any other case fruity and enjoyable. Might use a bit extra acidity, however I nitpick. Glorious. 90 Factors.
2017 Left Coast Property Pinot Meunier Property Brut Rosé, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $55. Extraordinarily Heavy Bottle (836g; 29.5oz). Rosé. Pale salmon within the glass with pretty pink berry fruit and only a trace of yeast. The palate is gorgeous if a bit missing in fruit. It’s there, however the acidity is actually the headliner. Nonetheless? Glorious. 91 Factors.
Bagged and prepared.
NV Piper Sonoma Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $22. Ridiculously Heavy Bottle (905g; 1lb 15.9oz). 75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Blanc. Straw to yellow within the glass with oodles of apple on the nostril. The palate is implausible as effectively with only a trace of sweetness and loads of brioche and apple. Yowza, fairly implausible. Excellent. 94 Factors.
2020 Youngberg Hill Glowing Wine Prolonged Tirage, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $65. Extraordinarily Heavy Bottle (863g; 30.4oz). 52% Chardonnay (Carabella Vineyards) and 48% Pinot Noir (Crawford Beck Vineyards). A muted nostril with apparently some mocha and a little bit of delicate apple. The palate is a bit missing in sparkle however actually tart with some weight and heft. Fantastic. Excellent. 93 Factors.
2013 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Cuvée, Carneros, CA: Retail $96. Ridiculously Heavy Bottle (947g; 33.4oz). 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay. Whoa. Fairly pale, barely even a straw with a stellar nostril of baked apple pie and a contact of à la mode. Yum. The palate? Whoa. Utterly harmonious and balanced with some tart apple, a contact of croissant and only a hell of lots of verve. Whoa. Excellent. 96 Factors.
2020 Sanford Blanc de Noirs, Sta Rita Hills, CA: Retail $55. Extraordinarily Heavy Bottle (848g; 29.9oz). No varietal composition on the webstite, I assume 100% Pinot Noir? Pale however sensible straw coloration. A delicate however salty nostril with simply hints of fruit and brioche. Totally implausible on the palate with tons of appley goodness and fairly mineral. Pretty. Excellent. 94 Factors.
2018 Stoller Pinot Noir Legacy LaRue’s Brut Rose, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $65. Extraordinarily Heavy Bottle (829g; 29.2oz). 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay. Smoky and meaty on the nostril of this rosé(?) (the colour is faint, however it’s actually darker). Actually a “totally different” nostril right here. The palate is actually dry with a meaty, mushroom-y vibe right here. Yeah, it’s totally different however the glowing panorama wants extra “totally different”. Glorious. 92 Factors.
NV Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs, Carneros, CA: Retail $30. Extraordinarily Heavy Bottle (899g; 31.7oz). 90% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay. Pale straw coloration with tons of pear and bruised apple on the nostril. Candy on the palate. Disappointing after the nostril. That sweetness actually clouds the fruit, acidity, all the things. Very Good. 87 Factors.
2020 Roco RMS Brut, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $65. Extraordinarily Heavy Bottle (839g; 29.6oz). Pinot Noir, Chardonnay. Earthy and a bit savory on this medium straw wine. Attention-grabbing on the palate as effectively with a vegetal vibe greater than anything. Good acidity and sparkle. Very Good. 87 Factors.
NV Treana Blanc de Blancs, Central Coast, CA: Retail $55. Ridiculously Heavy Bottle (911g; 32.1oz). 100% Chardonnay. One other attention-grabbing nostril with candy peach and possibly some mango even? The palate comes off as candy, too, which underscores the necessity for a bit extra acidity right here. Very Good. 87 Factors.
