On Nov 3, 9:00�am, DaleW > wrote:
> Mark hosted SOBER last night, and did his usual wonderful job with
> both the wine and the food. As I arrived Nancy poured me a glass of
> sparking wine, blind. Nice yeasty nose, biscuits, chalk. Mark came
> into the room and asked "did you guess it yet." I thought maybe he
> meant it was something I had tasted recently, went through my recent
> bubblies, nose rang no bell. I took a sip and was pretty sure nothing
> I'd tasted recently- appley fruit with a mature edge, hint of lemon
> polish, reasonably long. Turns out it was something I'd never tasted
> before, the 2001 Nyetimber �(Sussex, England). Others (more
> experienced than I with Champagne) liked it more. B-
>
> There was another bubbly, but Mark wisely decided we had too much
> wine. We met our visitors, Adrian Bridge of Fladgate Group as well as
> Bob from the city, and moved to table. �Nice cheeses, a D'Artagnan
> mousse, a platter of proscuitto and mozzarella, etc. On to the wines,
> all blind:
>
> Flight 2 �� (numbered before decision to not make the bubblies a
> flight)
>
> 2A: Sweet floral nose, but fairly dry on palate. A lanolin note made
> me wonder briefly about Chenin Blanc, but it didn't have the acids.
> There is a bit of muskiness florality, and once someone said Gewurz it
> made sense. 1983 Zind-Humbrecht� "Herrenweg de Turkheim"
> Gewurztraminer. B
> (I think this is my first non-dessert ZH of the pre-Olivier era)
> �
> 2B: One whiff and I wrote heavily oxidized nose. Just oxidative notes
> and alcohol. Nice initial mouthfeel, but that seems to crack up
> quickly. Not a correct bottle, too bad. �1983 Trimbach "Cuvee Frederic
> Emile" Riesling.
> (C-, but others assured me there are live bottles out there)
>
> Flight 3 - both marked by a light gold meets orange color, Gilman says
> Italian and maybe raised in amphora in about 2 sniffs, bingo
>
> 3A: Light, fresh, orange peel, citrus and almond. Lively, good length,
> I really like (more than table as whole I think). 2000 Gravner Ribolla
> Gialla (Venezia Giulia) A-/B+
> �
> 3B : Similar flavor profile- orange zest, nuts, seems �abit less fresh
> and lower acidity. 2002 Gravner "Anfora" Ribolla Gialla (Venezia
> Giulia)
> �B
>
> Flight 5 (moved ahead so that 4 could go with cassoulet)
>
> 5A- older color, light around edges. Cherries, tar, leather, citrus
> zest. I was pretty locked on idea of 40 year old Barolo (No!). I
> really quite liked, but with shocked when the 1990 Prieure-Roch Clos
> de Vougeot �was unveiled. Not so much it was Burgundy, but that it was
> a 1990. I'd call quite atypical in its delicacy. B+
>
> 5B: this was clearer fuller and heavier (and I thought clearly younger
> while both were blind_, but tight and not giving up much, a bit of
> black cherry and earth. Mark saved a glass and it opened up after a
> while. 1990 Jadot Clos De Vougeot �(B while we tasted, probably would
> have scored higher after some air time).
> ��
> With a very tasty cassoulet (my 3rd cassoulet in 10 days,but I could
> eat every other day!) Flight 4 :
>
> 4A: I wrote Rhone on first whiff of nose, but honestly I was thinking
> south. I have to give Gilman credit, he called Cote Rotie in about 10
> seconds. Once that was confirmed, it fell into place. �Red and black
> fruit, herbs, olives. Drinking wonderfully now. 1990 Jamet Cote Rotie
> A/A-
>
> 4B: Big, young, smoke, peppery. On this night I preferred the 1990 by
> a hair, but this is the long distance runner. 1991 Jamet Cote Rotie
> A-
> �
> Flight 6
> 6A: Couple of whiffs and I wrote Bordeaux, but when someone said Monte
> Bello it sounded reasonable. Once Mark said no to that, I ventured
> Bordeaux, and it was confirmed. Black currants, floral, cedar, a
> little leathery (brett?) note. Cathleen found it herbaceous, I thought
> just a lovely hint of herbs. I guessed Margaux, and then Rausan Segla
> (my only good guesses of night), Gilman got vintage. 1986 Ch. Rausan
> Segla. A-
>
> 6B: Bigger, tight, black plums and some oaky notes. Some found the oak
> obtrusive, I just thought it was young. This was a table divider. 1986
> Ch. Margaux. B+ with much room to improve fro me
> �
> Next flight had one disclosed bottle and one blind:
> �1908 Cockburn Vintage Port - light color, fragrant, caramel meets
> cherries, beautifully lifted nose, Christmas spices. What a treat! A-
>
> The blind bottle was golden brown, with a thick consistency and a
> complex blend of raisins, dried currants, brown sugar, spices,and
> herbs. Dan said Madiera, and that seemed perfect guess to me. It was
> however port. The
> 1908 Taylor Colheita tawny. This is not a commercial bottling, but a
> bottle they had drawn last week from a barrel they use to blend into
> the 40 year old tawny. A unique and fantastic experience, thanks to
> Adrian.
>
> Ferris Tintilla di Rota Sherry
> I think this was NV, though I also think Mark said this was supposed
> to be 1945. Dark, toffee and caramel, nutty. Mark said this was fading
> a bit compared to early bottles. Fascinating, but I didn't find near
> as pleasurable as the ports. B
>
> Truly remarkable night, thanks to Mark for his hospitality and
> generosity, and to Adrian for the chance to taste a 101 year old
> tawny.
>
> 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.��

I've mistaken older BUrgs for Barolo but not from the 90 vintage.
Sounds like a great lineup though.