Our usual wine class attendees may have found their favorite red so far as we began our second year on February 21 reaching into the Old and New Worlds of merlot and cabernet sauvignon. We began our tour this month comparing a 2003 Chateau Brun-Despagne Heritage from the Bordeaux region in France (13% alcohol) with a 2002 Blackstone Merlot from Napa Valley (14% alcohol). We described the Old World Brun-Despagne as quieter but more complex, smokier (like a wood fire), but earthier and having more scents of spring. On the whole it seemed more balanced. The New World Blackstone on the other hand we found juicier, even more fragrant with flavors of blueberries and vanilla. One person thought this wine had more earth to it, and despite the pencil-lead aroma found by another participant, the entire class preferred the New World merlot for its bigger, bolder presentation. (Oh, and note also the difference in alcohol content.) So does size matter? Let’s see.
For the cabernet sauvignon varietal, we matched a 2003 Chateau Duhart-Milon Rothschild, again from the Bordeaux region in France (13% alcohol), against a 2002 BV Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley (13.8% alcohol). Well the Rutherford seemed sweeter and riper to us – in fact so much so that we began using words like “licorice” and “lollipops”. The Duhart-Milon was more opaque, and even browner in color, which maybe went along with coffee aroma some class members identified. One person went so far as to say this wine would be “good with a piece of meat!” while the Rutherford might be more enjoyable at a cocktail party. So did the class prefer the in-your-face New World wine over the more reserved Old World one? Nope, the majority liked the Duhart-Milon better. And of those who preferred the Duhart-Milon, many thought it might be their favorite of the wines we’ve tasted so far. So if you’re around the Club some night and hear some of our wine aficionados refer to the great #4 (the wine’s number in our blind tasting), this is what they’re talking about.

In March, we’ll finish our Old World and New World white wine education comparing a pinot grigio from Italy with a pinot gris from the United States, and for reds we’ll compare a syrah from France’s Rhone Valley with a syrah or shiraz from the U.S. or Australia. These wines are pretty hot on the popularity scale right now, so don’t miss our class on March 20. Not only will we perform our usual blind tasting, we’ll vote on the best explanation for the different names chosen by the New World growers.

To prepare for the class, please review pages 117 through 128 of Andrea Immer Robinson’s book if you need to, and then focus on the tasting notes for the pinot grigio/gris on pages 136-137 and for the syrah/shiraz on pages 134-135.

See you on March 20!

Suzy Marquard