We gathered at Aaron's place and dug our teeth into Pinot Noir from around the world.
Jason, Helen, Greg, Jeff, French, Peter, Kai, Aaron, Stever and Christine
Gary Farrel's wine (#3) received the most rave reviews. Jason was convinced that it was a top-notch Burgundy. Helen loved the liver and leather flavors and suede-like mouthfeel. Jeff thought it "subtle," "smooth" and "surprisingly soft." Greg called it "fantastic" while noting flavors of mushroom, wood and cherry. Not all would rush out to buy a case full, though. It reminded Kai of chalk and Windex. Stever didn't much like the flavors of sweat socks and metal.
The Acacia wine (#6) was very polarizing. Three put it at the top of their list. Peter called it "rich," "bloody," and "bold;" he found that it had great depth and balance. Christine and Aaron also loved the Acacia. There wasn't much love from other members of the group. Greg called it "weak," "bitter" and "acidic." Helen used a single word to describe it: "acid, acid, acid!"
The Bourgogne (#2) didn't get many screams of delight, but made for a fun wine that nearly everyone enjoyed. Stever said that it had a nice attitude about it. Jeff called it "multipurpose." Kai liked its smoothness and flavors of fresh grass and spice---a "lively refreshing" wine. Jason thought it expertly balanced. Christine like the charcoal, berry and clove flavors and the clean aftertaste. Greg was one of the few with anything bad to say; it reminded him of grape and cherry Kool-aid.
The Rex-Goliath creation (#1) was considered a find by some. And for only $10 most of the group would buy it again. Greg would have paid upwards of $30 and greatly enjoyed it. French thought it simple and didn't find much tannin, but commended it for its pleasantness. Jason found it "acidic," "sharp," and "bitey," and thought it would go great with BBQ ribs. Jeff knew where he'd want to pop open a bottle: in front of a good fireworks show. Christine caught spice and pepper and felt it could use a few years in the cellar.
The New Zeland wine (#4) was compared to #1 due to its cherry and spice flavors and its medium-high acidity. Helen found some interesting flavors---smoked fish, leather and orange---but thought the onslaught of acidity to be too much. Jeff also found leather in addition to some funky flavors of his own: coffee and bitter chocolate. Stever got an initial sweetness, but quickly found it unpleasantly bitter.
The Airlie from Oregon (#5) was one of the most interesting of the evening, but left many with a bad taste in their mouths. A different day, it might have been everyone's favorite. Who knows? Helen thought it a very food friendly wine and enjoyed the array of herb flavors (cilantro, basil & parsley). Greg figured it was an expensive wine, but probably wouldn't buy it. He noted flavors of rubber, ash and tobacco. Peter found licorice, concord grape and coffee and thought it was a good "on paper" wine. French really liked it; he thought the nose and finish were both very pleasant. Kai liked its smokiness and tanginess. Aaron loved the smell, but hated the taste; "pour it out!" Stever compared it to an "art house flick."
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