A Reputation Destroyed

I’m not sure if it’s been mentioned before on this blog, but Eric hates Pinot Noir. It was not my plan to sneak a Pinot on him tonight, but when the wine I had chosen originally wound up being corked I found little choice. With that background, I present tonight’s Council of Variable Members.

2006 Kim Crawford Malborough Pinot Noir

Throughout the duration of this tasting I found myself waiting to see Eric’s face show great signs of distress. It never came. The wine is dark for a Pinot, and upon sniffing it is quite a pleasant experience. Aroma descriptions prove quite varied on this wine, including but not limited to: cherry cola, lemon iced tea, cinnamon rolls, and a butcher’s shop. Eric and I both agree that the wine lacks some body, and the mid-palate is more like Italian Pinot Grigio than any Pinot Noir (which means it tastes like water). Despite its downfalls its exotic nose bumped it into decently high score range, and the $15-$20 price point makes it an attractive purchase — if you’re into that sort of thing.

Eric’s score: 88 (reputation destroyed)
Scott’s score: 88
Mike’s score: 87
Steven’s score: 84 (unblind)

Council of Variable Members score: 87

Time to drink some beer and watch Canada continue its onslaught versus Slovakia. I look forward to Jason reading this entry and the awkward moment that will ensue with him and Eric during Monday morning’s science of winemaking class. The curse is lifted; now to get Eric to speak to me again.

We’re gonna Sauv your Blanc off

Night of Gewürztraminer

If there ever was an argument for living in the heart of a wine region perhaps this is it. After naming Gewürztraminer the variety of the month we set up an impromptu tasting, which in a matter of hours escalated from three wines to seven. To add to the epicness of the night, one of the six tasters actually made two of the wines himself, and to top it all off we brought six open bottles to a Chinese restaurant to be merry. I’m still not sure how we managed that.

The winner of the seven wines was pretty clear to all of us, and it is potentially the best white wine I’ve ever had the honor of trying. For something around $30 the 2007 Domaine Weinbach Reserve Personnelle Gewürztraminer from Alsace is about as good as it gets. It’s just an awesome beverage experience, and one that too few people ever get to know.

The Night's Winners

The second most praised wine of the night came from a location I never could have guessed – New Zealand. Yep, the world’s Sauvignon Blanc factory has managed to pump out a great Gewurztraminer – this one grown on the North Island in Gisborne. Decanter magazine actually named this wine, the 2003 Vinoptima Gewürztraminer Ormond Reserve, the best new world white in 2005; saying, “As good as top Alsace grand crus”. At $50 though the choice is pretty clearly in favor of the Domaine Weinbach, but I’m still in awe of how interesting Gewürztraminers can be.

The 2007 Pacific Rim Gewürztraminer which Eric and I tasted in the above video became quite a stink bomb two hours after opening. Eric described it lovingly as, “like West Highland White Terrier Diarrhea after eating Hormell chili”. I couldn’t have said it better myself. Something just wasn’t right there – and at $10 I’m tempted to buy another bottle to see if it was an isolated case.

The 1997 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Gewürztraminer is still holding up, and is actually tasting better right now than it did last night. I have to moderately disagree with Eric’s assertion to drink all whites young, as some of them can become quite interesting with age. It’s a crap shoot though, and I probably would have enjoyed this wine more in 2005.

We also had our friendly neighbors to the north represented with the 2008 Lake Breeze Vineyards Gewürztraminer from British Columbia. Despite a relatively weak showing this wine did show the potential for Canadians to make better beverages than that beer they make… can’t think of the name.

There’s hardly a better way to open up “Gewürz until it hürts” month. From the Okanogan to New Zealand one has to wonder why this grape is not more popular. The Terroirists are beginning that movement now.