Friday Blind-Tasting

Friday evening, a good time for some relax time and sometimes some serious blind-tasting.

Each friend will bring along a wine that they had either drank before or not and guessing game will start.

Drinking wines for some years, I have been exposed to many different type of cork removers. The good and bad experiences in opening of some wine bottles did bring back some funny and ugly moment. Today it was my first time to see such an interesting cork removal. It was introduced by a friends that it was the oldest method of opening a bottle of wine.

I did some research, this came out to be an 'Ah So Wine Opener' or Cork Puller. 

So why is it called an “Ah-So”? Supposedly, "Ah-so" come from the German name, "Ach so," meaning “I see.” Since it’s appearance and how to use it is somewhat confusing initially, but quickly becomes clear once demonstrated, people supposed remark “Ach so” as they see how it works.

Older bottles seems to have problem removing cork in a single piece as they are brittle and this tool really helps.

There were of a total of one sparkling white wines and four red wines.

Pepperton Estate - Brut Cuvee - Australia

I don't drink sparkling so often and most of the time if I drink it and like it, it will be a good one. (laughs) Of course, most people didn't get it correct.

Established in Australia, their sparkling takes on the fresher and greener side. Full of crisp acidity, apple and citrus notes, this wine definitely takes on a good appetiser. We had grilled dried squid, scallops and light cheese.

Vina Albali Gran Reserva 1995 - Spain

For the first thought, its an old world wine, I guess it was a 1995-1996 French Cabernet Sauvignon blend with the typical french oak note. It came out to be a Spanish, single variety Tempranillo. Good guess on the vintage.

Tempranillo - backbone grape for Spain and Portugal wines, gives a dark chocolate, prunes, blackcurrant and tobacco note. A medium to full-bodied wine, this wine displayed all the characters of tempranillo. Nose, palate and finishing is well-balanced.

Haut-Medoc de Lascombes 2007 -Bordeaux

First tasting note, I thought it has the note and palate of a Rhone-Style wine almost reminds me of Cote Rotie, full-bodied wine. I was right about the vintage but not the region right.

This firm-structured medoc wine definitely is a good wine to keep and drink over many years later but also great to be enjoy now. Pair it over some parma ham, blue-cheese crackers and red meats.

 

2005 Château de Roquefort Côtes de Provence Les Mures - France

A friend who brought this actually gave out a clue by bringing two pieces of Roquefort cheese, one of the world's best-known bluecheeses.

It was quite confusing and I thought it might be an Australian shiraz, there were a light note of a French wine but I cannot help but fell for the trick.

Indeed this is a rather interesting wine, produced in the region famous for their rose wine, this wine was blended with a Grenache base. Deep purple in colour, notes of blueberry and cherry with a light hint of spice and ripe plums.

Paired it with some Roquefort cheese and crackers.

Château Marquis de Calon 2005 - Saint-Estèphe

This wine is not put to blind-tasting but it did display a very straight-forward Bordeaux style of wine.

A second label of Chateau Calon-Segur, this 2005 vintage is firm, lush, approachable and elegant.

Perfect for a lip-smacking rack of lamb for pairing.

Howling Wolves 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon - Magaret River

Somehow, I got tricked again by an Aussie wine to answer it as a French. Is it because of technology or the wine style. Some guess the base of this wine seems like a new world wine and I agree it only when I taste it more carefully.

Black fruits, gummy, chewy, light-spiced oak, great tannin and medium finish with gentle tannin.

2003 is considered a good vintage for an Australian wines, great.

A quick time-check, 1 am. An evening filled with laughters and knowledge sharing from blind-tasting. I got knock over with so much mistakes. (Laughs)

Practice makes perfect so till then look forward to another round of blind-tasting again.