TN: more Friday wines, most blind this time

Friday night my little local tasting group was having first meeting since May. Several of these guys are red-centric, but we were supposed to have a white night and a ros=E9 night this summer. We could only settle on one night, so they were combined. Everyone brought a bottle of ros=E9 or white, blind. We toured Roger's new house, and then the wines started:

Ros=E9 #1 : Bright strawberry and white pit fruit with a floral note, good crisp acidity. I'd had this before earlier this summer, and could see the bottle was a tall flute-like one, so I did something I rarely do, nailed the 2004 Robert Sinskey Vin de Gris de Pinot Noir (Napa). Good wine. I liked better than group. B+

White #1 On the sweeter side of off-dry, light peach and citrus aromas of a nice mineral base. Pretty obviously German Riesling (especially since Roger, who's German, brought it), I guess Mosel Spatlese, I'm off by one river, it's the 2002 Reichsgraf von Kesselstaat Kaseler Nies'chen Riesling Sp=E4tlese. I like better than the group . B

Rose #2 is mine, the 2004 Cantalupo "Il Mimo " Rosato (Colline Novaresi). Guesses range from Spain to Languedoc. Bittersweet fruit, good structure, serious reserve. I like it and group really likes it. B+-A-

White #2 is medium-bodied, with good crispness and a taut mineral core.

My guess is helped by the fact I know Alex (who's French) brought it, so I guess it's a Chalbis 1er Cru. Whoo hoo, I'm on a roll, it's the 2002 Billaud-Simon Vaillons Chablis 1er Cru. I'm not sure I've ever had a Billaud-Simon before, but this is my WOTN. A-

Now I'm feeling like I'm the blind tasting king. White #3 has an extremely floral nose, with low-acid tropical fruit. All my confidence is shot,and I weakly guess white Rh=F4ne (another Frenchman brought, so pretty sure it's French). No, Fred says, then offers a clue "it's another French wine like the Chablis, but the total opposite of Chardonnay." Hmm, I would think of Riesling, but that's not it. So then I think of Chenin Blanc, but this doesn't seem Cheninish, and I say out loud " it's not Chenin Blanc." Yes it is, says Fred. Holy $%^&, I'd never have guessed Chenin. Wait a second, it's unveiled as the 2003 Sauvion Sancerre. Seems Fred thought I said "Sauvignon Blanc" (there was some French band - St. Germain- blasting on stereo). In any case, this isn't very typical of Sancerre or Sauvignon Blanc either. A bit short on finish, no acid backbone. Others like better than I. C-C+

Now my confidence is shot as White #4 comes up. Lots of spicy oak, plenty of tropical (mango-pineapple-guava) fruit. After the previous debacle I quitely offer New World Chard, and it is the 2003 Cakebread Napa Chardonnay. Seems a bit hot, and big for drinking after some sprightly wines like the ros=E9s and the crisp Chablis. Others like more than me, but I like it better than the previous wine. B-

I pbutt around a disappointing GruVe (notes in other thread), Roger opens another ros=E9, this one non-blind. It's the 2004 Ch. d'Oupia Minervois Ros=E9. Crisp, clean, a bit lighter than the Mimo but a nicely laid out wine, with nice raspberry fruit and light herbal notes. B+

Now the music is old B-52s, and the last wine is a half of the 2003 Kiona Late Harvest White Riesling. Simple sweet pear chickentail syrup, does not do a lot for me. B--C+

As music switched to techno I decided it was time to walk home. Nice night. Overall I felt good about my guesses (except the whole Sancerre thing), but knowing the tendencies of the others to choose certain wines (and bottle shape recognition) probably count's for more than anything else.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.