Vino Fino Tasters
CARNEROS CHARDONNAYS
March 21, 2001
Host
Gary Peer was interested to sample really "dry" Chardonnays and selected the
them of Carneros-grown wines.
We had a good cross-section of Chardonnays which ranged in price from affordable to
deluxe.
The photo on the left is of Mark Naismith, shown holding the "...without a doubt,
clear winner...anyone not rating this wine first is a knucklehead."
Here's what we found:
| The Wines |
Gerald's Rank |
GROUP RANK |
Total Points |
1sts/2nds/
Lasts |
ABUNDANCE
VINEYARDS
1999
Carneros ‘Leveroni Vnyd’ $10.99 |
2 |
8 |
57 |
0/1/4 |
ANCIEN
1999
Carneros ‘Buena Vista & Sangiacomo
Vineyards’
$29.99 |
7 |
7 |
54 |
0/0/0 |
CHASSEUR
1998
Carneros Sangiacomo Vineyard ‘Green Acres Hill’
$42.99 |
1 |
1 |
30 |
4/1/1 |
MacROSTIE
1999
Carneros
$17.99 |
8 |
6 |
53 |
0/0/3 |
RUDD
1998
Carneros District
$34.99 |
5 |
5 |
35 |
0/4/1 |
SAINTSBURY
1999
Carneros
$17.78 |
4 |
4 |
34 |
1/2/0 |
SOLITUDE
1999
Carneros ‘Sangiacomo’
$21.99 |
6 |
2 |
30 |
3/0/0 |
TRUCHARD
1999
Carneros ~ Napa
$29.99 |
3 |
3 |
31 |
1/1/0 |
Jacques Sweitzer, an original Vino
Fino taster, carefully evaluates the wines. Jack is a bean counter, so he's in
charge of finances.
Jim, sitting next to him, is a "rookie" member of the group. Poor guy
(Jim) received much abuse from Mr. Naismith, having rated Mark's first place wine 7th and
Mark rating 2nd Jim's last place selection.
8th Place: ABUNDANCE 1999 "Leveroni" CHARDONNAY
Jack and I were the only tasters who gave high marks to this wine. I
liked the woodsy, American oak notes. It's dry, nicely balanced, with sweet oak and
a vanillin component. One-and-a-half stars.
7th Place: ANCIEN 1999 Carneros CHARDONNAY
I found hints of cream and butter in this elegant Chardonnay. The wine
is dry and of medium intensity with a hint of a stony note on the nose. The same
elements are present on the palate. One star.
6th Place: MacROSTIE 1999 Carneros CHARDONNAY
Fruity elements are displayed here in this bright, citrusy Chardonnay.
I found a hint of a pineapple fragrance, too. MacRostie's Chardonnay is soft and
"easy" on the palate, but I marked it down for showing a bit of alcohol.
One-half star.
5th Place: RUDD 1998 Carneros CHARDONNAY
Mildly toasty notes and a nice hint of oak go along with the appley
Chardonnay fruit. Slightly bothersome was a "band-aid"-like tone.
Very crisp, dry and showing toasty oak on the palate...woodsy. Nice.
4th Place: SAINTSBURY 1999 Carneros CHARDONNAY
Mildly citrusy notes combine with a touch of a minerally, stony note in this
nicely complex wine. There's a touch of a toasty element from some aging with the
spent yeast. On the palate this is mildly toasty and creamy....One star.
3rd Place: TRUCHARD 1999 Carneros/Napa CHARDONNAY
Elegant and showing a nice creamy, vanillin character with similar notes on
the palate...there's also a hint of a citrus or orange peel note on the palate. One
star.
2nd Place: SOLITUDE 1999 Carneros CHARDONNAY
Though mildly fruity and showing some woodsy notes, I marked this down a bit
for having a cardboard note....I am not sure this was a completely "sound"
bottle, though it was not badly "corked" (musty)...woodsy and toasty on the
palate.
Probably a one-star wine.
1st Place: CHASSEUR 1998 Sangiacomo "Green Acres Hill"
CHARDONNAY
No mistaking the toasty, leesy, smoky notes of this fabulously
Burgundian-styled wine. There's a nice bit of creamy, buttery tones, also.
Very fine.
Two stars, plus!
Even Dick Otstott rated the Chasseur as his top wine.
VINO FINO TASTING ARCHIVE
2007 RUSSIAN RIVER PINOT NOIRS February 2010
A
RANGE OF FRENCH CHABLIS WINES January 2010
HOLIDAY DINNER
& WINE MARATHON December 2009
ROSÉ
SPARKLING WINES November 2009
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS October 2009
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS September 2009
GREEK
RED WINES August 2009
2005
BUDGET BORDEAUX July 2009
CAMPANIAN
WHITE WINES June 2009
MIXED
BAG OF CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIRS April 2009
RIOJA
WINES, MOSTLY FROM THE 2004 VINTAGE March 2009
NORTH
COAST PETITE SIRAHS February 2009
SYRAH
& PETITE SIRAH COMPARISON January 2009
A
VINO FINO CHRISTMAS December 2008
MOSTLY
2005s: NAPA CABERNETS November 2008
SONOMA
COUNTY PINOT NOIRS October 2008
SANTA
RITA HILLS -2006 VINTAGE- PINOT NOIRS SEPTEMBER 2008
NEWLY
RELEASED ZINFANDELS August 2008
WHITE
RHÔNE VALLEY WINES JULY 2008
LOIRE
VALLEY SAUVIGNONS JUNE 2008
FRENCH
CHABLIS 2005-2006 MAY 2008
NORTHERN
RHÔNE SYRAHS APRIL 2008
SANTA
CRUZ MOUNTAINS PINOT NOIRS January 2008
ANNUAL
HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS DINNER December 2007
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS November 2007
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ October 2007
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO WINES September 2007
SONOMA'S
2005 VINTAGE ZINFANDELS August 2007
CURRENT
RELEASE (2004-2005) ZINFANDELS July 2007
ROS
WINES FROM ALL OVER June 2007
ITALIAN
LAGREIN WINES May 2007
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS April 2007
SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE PINOT NOIRS March 2007
MOSTLY
2004 CABERNETS February 2007
CRU
BEAUJOLAIS January 2007
A VINO
FINO CHRISTMAS December 2006
CALIFORNIA
ZINFANDELS November 2006
PINOT
NOIRS of VALUE-PRICING October 2006
WORLD
OF SYRAHS TASTING September 2006
AUSSIE
CABERNET-SHIRAZ BLENDS August 2006
ALEXANDER
VALLEY (California) and MARGARET RIVER (Australia) CABERNETS July
2006
CALIFORNIA
PETITE SIRAHS June 2006
2004
NORTH COAST PINOTS and a FRENCH INTRUDER May 2006
AGLIANICO
: BASILICATA & CAMPANIA'S MAJOR RED WINE April 2006
NERO
D'AVOLA - A TASTE OF SICILIA March 2006
UNDER THE
VINO FINO RADAR ZINFANDELS January 2006
HOLIDAY WINE
TASTING & DINNER December 2005
BUBBLIES FROM AROUND
THE WORLD November 2005
NORTH
COAST PINOT NOIRS October 2005
STATE
OF CONFUSION CABERNETS September 2005
TIM
ZAINER'S SIDEWAYS LOOK AT MERLOTS August 2005
LOIRE VALLEY CABERNET
FRANCS June 2005
CALIFORNIA
SYRAHS March 2005
2002
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS February 2005
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY WINE MARATHON December 2004
CHARDONNAYS
OF MODEST PRICE November 2004
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO October 2004
2002
CENTRAL COAST PINOT NOIRS September 2004
AUSSIE
SHIRAZ-CABERNET BLENDS August 2004
GEWRZTRAMINERS
FROM ALSACE July 2004
2001
SOUTHERN RHNES (7 Chteauneufs & a Vacqueyras) June 2004
AGLIANICO
WINES FROM CAMPANIA & BASILICATA May 2004
MONTEPULCIANO
WINES FROM THE ABRUZZO & MARCHE REGIONS April 2004
SONOMA
ZINFANDELS February 2004
1997
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO January 2004
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA 2003
2001
CTES du RHNES September 17, 2003
2000
OREGON PINOT NOIRS August 20, 2003
WEST
COAST SYRAHS July 16, 2003
2000
Bordeaux June 18, 2003
2000
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS May 21, 2003
OFF
THE BEATEN PATH SYRAHS APRIL 16, 2003
2002 NEW ZEALAND
SAUVIGNON BLANCS March 19, 2003
1999
California CABERNETS February 19, 2003
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA December 4, 2002
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ August 21, 2002
CHAMPAGNES
& SPARKLERS July 17, 2002
Interesting
Paired CHARDONNAYS
May 15, 2002
2001
Southern Hemisphere SAUVIGNON BLANCS Feb. 20, 2002
1999 ZINFANDELS January 16, 2002
HOLIDAY
SEASON BACCHANALIA
December 5, 2001
1999-2000
New PINOT NOIRS November 14, 2001
1999
CALIFORNIA ZINFANDELS October 17, 2001
1998
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 19, 2001
1999
LANGUEDOC REDS August 15, 2001
1997
SAUTERNES July 18, 2001
Mostly
1998 NEBBIOLO June 20, 2001
1999 PINOT NOIRS May
16, 2001
1996
SAINT-MILION Tasting April 18, 2001
CARNEROS
CHARDONNAYS March 21, 2001
1984-1985
NAPA CABERNETS/John Vignau Memorial Tasting October 20, 2000
1997
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 20, 2000
1998 CALIFORNIA
CHARDONNAYS August 16, 2000
WINES
FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE: CLARETS June 21, 2000
WINES
FROM UNDER THE TUSCAN (and Umbrian) SUN Aprile 19, 2000
1997 BORDEAUX: MEDOC May 17,
2000
Alex is thinking "I'd rather be drinking Barolo!"
