Wine 1 (2002 Chablis 1er Cru Bessin Montmains - Burgundy, France)
Smells a bit like flat champagne, but older champagne. A lot of honey, some citrus fruit and a bit of over ripe mango. There isn't much coming off the palate, there is, again, that old champagne flavour - with no oak. A bit of dry honey comes through and then some sherry like flavours. The alcohol peaks on the back end I'd say this is reasonably old Chablis. The finish is nicely minerally but it is a bit past it. 3/10 Got it spot on, but I was looking for
Wine 2 (2008 Domaine Drouhin Arthur Chardonnay - Oregon, USA)
An initial up front butter element, with some tropical fruit backing it up, but with a little bit of spirit coming through with just a touch of ginger. The palate is ok, a little lacking in fruit and then with some more oak coming in. It isn't a butter fest, but it just doesn't have much in the way of complexity, might have a bit of age on it too as it is a bit stripped out. I'd say a cheaper end Burgundy as the heat doesn't come through that much and it would indicate colder climate. 6.5/10
Being from Oregon, and also made by a producer with French origins, I am happy with my assessment of this. I know I got it wrong, but what surprises me is that it is only 3 years old. It tastes a lot older than that.
Wine 3 (2006 Isole e Olena Chardonnay - Tuscany, Italy)
A lot of oak, probably French, with a baked element to it - almost like some pie crust but with a fatty element to it too. Some nice fruit is there, just evolving merrily along, a bit of papaya and mango. The palate is a bit bitter at first, some noticeable alcohol kicking you quite badly. It is lacking a bit in fruit, the bitter wood is dominant, but then it cleans up with a very slight ginger note giving some heat and then a pithy fruit finish. I'd say a bigger Burgundy, maybe hotter year? 7/10 Again I got it wrong, but I think my logic was about right. 2006 was a good year in Tuscany, and a bit hotter, which is where I think the booze comes in. It is a decent wine, but a bit pricy.
Wine 4 (2007 Chassagne Montrachet Domaine Ramonet - Burgundy, France)
Brighter, some citrus and fresh melon coming off. Then the oak comes in, a bit heavy handed at first, but softens down. Pretty closed though. The palate is simple, light fruit and a gentle element of oak coming through as seasoning. A creamy texture, some lovely spiced wood notes coming up from the back. Very clean finish, and very well made. Maybe Puligny Montrachet? Not too old either. 8/10 I am annoyed as I wrote Chassagne Montrachet first and then changed it to Puligny - oh well! It is a really lovely wine.
Wine 5 (2007 Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay - Margaret River, Australia)
This screams burgundy to me. with bright fresh citrussy aromas and then a lovely cedar box aroma following, and then a bit of tobacco and some lovely bright fruit. The palate is more of the same, some lovely balanced wood mixing with fresh fruit, showing restraint and elegance. I really hope that this is good Burgundy because if it is cheap Chilean, I know sod all about wine. Maybe a Chassagne about 5 - 7 years old? 8.5/10 This was the best wine. It showed class and sophistication beyond what I tried a few months ago. It was awarded the title 'Best Chardonnay in the World' and with this wine's performance today, I am not surprised. I'm very glad that I got this wrong!
Wine 6 (2004 Puligny Montachet Folatieres Ch de Puligny Montrachet - Burgundy, France)
Very herbal and lots of honey and buttered toast. Possibly a well made Australian or maybe South Africa. Lovely lighter fruit coming off. The palate has a bit of age, most of the fruit is lost although some pear juice splattered on dry dusty wood comes through. It has a bit of heat, but that is coming to the fore through lack of fruit. A bit of a disappointing wine due to the rather unpleasant fat finish. Could be an older Italian Chardonnay. 5/10 A big disappointment after starting well on the nose.
Wine 7 (2005 Cloudy Bay Chardonnay - Marlborough, New Zealand)
Spritzy, some pineapple and fresh passion fruit. Then a little bit of oak comes through, but just a touch. The palate is dry some nice fruit flavours but a bit of alcohol all the way through which is a bit of a problem for me. Having said that the finish is nice, an oakier wine, maybe from a cooler area in America. If it wasn't for the alcohol, I'd like this. 6/10 This older wine from Cloudy Bay is a decent wine, ageing well, but the alcohol just ruins this wine a bit.
Wine 8 (2010 Echeverria Unwooded Chardonnay Reserva - Curico Valley, Chile)
Brighter than anything so far - lots of fresh fruit, both citrus and tropical, a little bit of honey creaping through on the back end too. A flour like start with some softer pithier fruit flavours. Definitely unoaked with a massive focus on freshness. It isn't too alcoholic, it is well made, a nice clean finish. Cheaper Chilean is where I am going, young and unoaked. I like this. 8/10 This is a really tasty, fresh Chilean Chardonnay and performs well against some bigger wines.
Wine 9 (1999 Beaune Clos de Mouche Joseph Drouhin - Burgundy, France)
A little oak coming off the front end with some really attractive cream covered pears and peaches. A little ginger too but it is quite covered by the fruit. The palate is a light start but a lot of minerally notes. Some really noticeable booze in the middle - it attacks the front of your tongue. There is a dry, pencil lead dunked in butter flavour - wood and graphite. This is a bit of a pass. 5/10 I forgot to guess where this came from because it was bad! I'm surprised at how poor this performed as it should be better.
Wine 10 (2007 Meursault Les Vireuils Jean-Yves Devevey - Burgundy, France)
Very pretty. A gentle aroma, soft fruit mixed with a lovely bright vanilla pod aroma. It smells lovely, with just a touch of golden syrup and cream. The palate is gentle, some lovely dried tropical fruit with a bit of oak very noticable but not at all imposing. Maybe a Meursault? I'd say maybe five or so years old as it has some more oxidised flavours, but despite an alcohol peak in the finish, it really does evolve wonderfully with lovely warmth all the way to the end. A honey note too. 8/10 A really nice wine, I was thinking it was more expensive than it is. Very good and a wine you should search out.
Wine 11 (2004 Ridge Montebello Chardonnay - California, USA)
Soft and gentle, quite closed at first. Just a little bit of panna cotta coming off! The palate is pleasant, gentle with some bitter woody, vegetal notes coming through. There is a pungent flavour at the start of the finish that I am not too hot on and the finish is too aggressive. I think that this is poor basic burgundy - flabby finish. 4/10 A big shock. I hope this is just going through a dull period because it really didn't show well.
Wine 12 (2005 Nuits St Georges Blanc Clos de la Marechale Jacques Frederic Mugnier - Burgundy, France)
Herbs and fat - but in a good way! A gentle style of wine - something strange. It has elegance to it but it is very closed. The palate is decent, some very subtle oak flavours with a lovely light, pithy flavour coming through. The oak is there, dominating a bit but in a super restrained way. It needs a bit of time as it is closed, but this is probably something like a Nuit St George Blanc. 7/10 with potential. I'm glad I got this back as it is a super wine, just not one that is at its best at the moment. This Nuits St Georges Blanc is a glorious wine and you just need to cellar it.
I like tasting blind, there is always a curveball thrown at me and today it was the poor showing of Ridge and the good showing of Cloudy Bay. I'll be doing this again soon with Pinot Noirs and hopefully I might get a few more right!
Postscript Apparently both the Ridge and the Clos de Mouche opened up after a few hours and became outstanding bottles of wine.
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