Sancerre

2009 Domaine La Porte "Le Rochoy" Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre, France (about $50 at Marinus)
Lindsay, my fiancé blind-tasted this one and nailed it! It had great minerality, old world charm and lemon-curd nuances. She remembers liking it. It seemed fat since we were drinking it at a slightly warmer temperature.

Preconceived Notions

2007 Morlet "La Portion Doree" Semillion Sauvignon Blanc Blend, Sonoma, CA ($95 at Passionfish)

When I blind-tasted this, I was sure it was Chardonnay. I thought it was more like a white Burgundy. It was round, saw oak and displayed melon aromas. Some Sauvignon Blancs are crisp and lean, but this one was a California fatty. My girl Lindsay and I were both tricked. We thought it was Chard.--even though she blind-tasted me. We were pleasantly surprised whem we read the back of the bottle. It read: Semillion/Sauv. Blanc.

Epic Sauternes

2003 Chateau Rieussec, Sauternes, France ($30 per 1/2 bottle)
Last night my friend Ben Catlin opened this late harvest Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend and it was stellar. The wine was gold and amber in color and super viscus. Unlike some Sauternes that can be sugary sweet like the 2004 La Tour Blanche, this one had intense acidity and a list of aromas that co-existed harmoniously. The nuances included: lanolin, lemon tart, and baked apple. Lanolin is wool wax--sorry for sounding esoteric. Instead of chilling this wine too much, we served it at about 60 degrees, so that its beautiful identity could stand out. I've had several vintages of Chateau D'yquem, but this one was in the same playing field and not as ludicrously priced. This charmer was sexy and I wanted to pour it onto my lover's body parts, but we finished it too quickly.

Sauternes

2004 Ch. De Fargues "Lur Surluces", Sauternes - sugary and I could drink a whole glass, probably not a whole bottle. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2015 

2004 Ch. Rayne Vigneau, Sauternes - very steely and too cold. There wasn't enough acidity and lacked body. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2015 

2004 Ch. Guiraud 1er Cru, Sauternes - pleasant, but lacking body Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2015 

2004 Ch. Doisy Daene, Sauternes - nice and sweet with dried tropical fruit Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2015 

2004 Ch. Latour Blanche 1er cru, Sauternes - there's a Vidal body, long finish and super honeyed. I like it because it's super fat, but a little too sugary. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2020
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2004 Ch. Coutet, Saturnes-Barsac - dried apricots and pineapples with a long finish. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2020 

2004 Ch. Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Sauternes - very nice, but a little too lean. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2015 

2004 Ch. Sigalas Rabaud, Sauternes - too much sour lemon-peel. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2015 

2004 Ch. Suduiraut 1er Cru, Sauternes - At first I thought the Latour Blanche was better, but after revisiting this wine it had a nice Old World acidity that would allow me to drink a whole bottle. You need a sophisticated palette because it's not so obvious. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2020 

1999 Suduiraut, Sauternes ($550 case) - I was spitting for a whole week and this was the first wine I wanted to drink. Toberlone and heath candy toffee notes with a side order of crème' brulee. I was reminded of frozen grapes at the old neighbor "Bee's" house. It was a nice finish because it wasn't sugary. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2020 

1994 D'yquem "Les Surluces", Bordeaux- The crème' brulee and red apple traits integrated with toffee and burnt caramel would've made me guess D'yquem. There must've been some botrytis but I did get some oxidative white Bordeaux characteristic's that made me think Haut Brion or something like Carbonnieux. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2015 

1988 D'yquem - What am I taking crazy pills? A perfect pairing with a Crème Brulee. It tasted like butterscotch and toffee heath candies that have been pureed and dropped into a jar of honey. Despite being unctuous, ridiculously sweet and decadent, the wine had great acidity and minerality. Too young to drink, but I enjoyed assessing its future. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2020 

Napa Dessert Wine

2003 Far Niente "Dolce" - Napa Valley - For that price, I'd rather have quality sauternes. Nonetheless, it wasn't too sugary and was held together nicely. One of the best domestic dessert wines out there. Reminded me of butterscotch candy like most California chard's, but on top of it being rich, it had good acidity. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2011 

The World of Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon

2005 Georis Sauvignon Blanc- It’s rounder than most Sauvignon Blanc’s and has a Bordeaux style with various different tropical fruit flavors. This palette-cleanser has a waxy body that might make people imagine bees buzzing over grapefruits. Last tasted 2007 Drink now 

Hawkes Bay
2004 Sileni Semillon “The Circle” $15 – Canned asparagus and under ripe asparagus forced me to feel indecisive. “Should I drink it?” or “Should I pour it down the drain?” The wine was lean, but it had a nice fatness. I drank it all Last tasted 9/22/07 Drink now 

Loire Valley
Pouilly-Fume
2005 Ladoucette Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley $65 – too fat and it lacks acidity. Not austere enough, it’s flabby and there’s no intensity. Last tasted 10/15/07 Drink now-2013 

Loire Valley
Sancerre
2005 Domaine Vacheron– For someone that likes a lean, clean grapefruit flavored wine with steely qualities, give them this. This makes my tongue salivate just thinking about it. It’s a perfect counter to a bitter mixed greens salad. Last tasted 2007 Drink now 

2005 Pascal Cotat "La Grande Cote", ($88) - I'm a rooky, but it's the best Sancerre I've ever had. I've tried a lot, I swear! Round but focused. It wasn't malic or hard and green like some other producers from this cool climate. Somehow it's viscous, silky and friendly too. It's like a young business woman in her mid-late twenties. It's smart and sexy. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2013 

Bordeaux
Pessac-Leognon
2004 Domaine de Chevalier -displays grapefruit and passion fruit qualities that blew the Carbonnieux out of the water. It was complex! It's not to be drunk for another 10 years, but pretty dam good right now. This was Gabe's favorite of the whole tasting. Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2015 
Graves

2004 Ch. Carbonnieux - It was real round, but tasted sour after having those ripe strawberries near the cheese table. Last tasted 2007 Drink now 
Pauillac

2005 Blanc de Lynch-Bages ($550 case) - exotic passion fruits congregated with coconut fragments. What am I on a dessert island? Last tasted 2007 Drink now-2012 
Interesting Whites of US

Lexus Grand Tasting

Lexus Grand Tasting at Pebble Beach Food & Wine

It was nice to cleanse the palette with M.V. Nicolas Feuillette Brut Rose’. This bubbler comes from Chouilly, which is a sub-region of Reims, which is within the region of Champagne, which is in the boundaries of one of the best wine producing regions on the planet, France. It had aromas of bubble gum, cherries and other red fruits.

The winemaker of the 2010 Chateau Desclans “Whispering Angel” Rose’(pictured above), visited us from Provence, France and I commended him for his delicious drink. When I worked at Marinus, my fellow employees and I would make rap songs about this remarkable beverage, “It’s crisp, it’s clean, fen to make you scream. Whispering Angel Son!”

2009 Lail “Blueprint” Sauvignon Blanc, Napa.
It was new world in style in that it wasn’t waxy like a white Bordeaux, but citrusy like a Central Valley tangerine.

2007 Au Bon Climat “Hildegard” Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Aligote’, Santa Maria Valley
This somehow reminded me of a white a white Burgundy. The assistant winemaker told me that the Corton Charlemagne was believed to be a grape clone of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Aligote’. I never knew that. Thanks for filling me in dude (assistant winemaker).

2008 Rombauer Chardonnay, Napa
Romabauer Chardonnay has become a wine descriptor. It is: buttery, oak, delicious and sommeliers hate it, because it caters to the masses and they no longer have leverage. It was so cool to meet the owner. That guy was a baller.

2007 Domaine Serene “Evenstad Reserve” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Am I tasting Cote de Nuits Pinot Noir? This beauty was seductive and had lots of red fruit aromas like that of Burgundy. It had tannin. It had backbone.

2008 Numanthia “Termes” Toro, Spain
“It takes two vines two produce one bottle,” said the super-hot French chick pouring this Spanish wine. “Oh and they crush the grapes by foot too,” she said. That’s hot. The wine was too, but in a ripe, dark fruit-way.

2008 Barnett Spring Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain, Napa
The chocolate dust was distinct and delicious. This booth was near the massage table.

The Massage Table
I can’t afford a massage. This one was free, so I gave Yoeli a 10-spot for her efforts. She was more sensual than any of the wines.

Pelegrino
Drink as much water as wine. This booth took awhile.

Carmel Valley Roasting Company
Foglifter? It’s gorgeous outside. I’m still slightly buzzed, and feeling good.