Dick Ward Burgundy Taste-Off

[wondersofwine]

I came across my notes from a Burgundy/Saintsbury Pinot Noir tasting at the Charlotte event last April. The semi-blind tasting was particularly humiliating for me. We knew we were tasting four Pinot Noirs from Saintsbury and four Burgundies but not in what order. I only got the nationality of two of the wines correct. In my defense, they were not the best Burgundies I've tasted.
I don't have notes on what Saintsbury wine the first one was. My notes say big bouquet and pale to medium red color. Cranberry flavor with a not unpleasant tartness.
The second wine (from Burgundy) was slightly plumlike, with dark cherries and less bouquet than #1.
The third wine which I guessed to be the village Gevrey-Charmbertin was actually the Saintsbury Reserve Pinot Noir. I noted dark berries, good potential, needs some age.
The fourth wine I thought was clearer and less dense in color but had finesse. It was a Mugneret village Burgundy that I guessed to be a Saintsbury wine.
The fifth wine which I guessed to be a village Volnay perhaps was the Saintsbury
Carneros Pinot Noir. It seemed light and elegant.
The sixth wine was darker and denser in color with a heady nose a substantial mouth presence with a slight burn on the long finish. This wine was the one I and the majority of the tasting audience judged to have the most potential of all the wines. I thought it was from Burgundy. (My notes say Burgundy? or extracted Pinot Noir?) Instead it was the Saintsbury Brown Ranch Pinor Noir (tres expensive).
The seventh wine I correctly guessed as from California. I and the majority thought it was the favorite for drinking now. It was the Saintsbury Garnet, an inexpensive Cal P. N. My notes say less dense appearance, dark cherries, long finish.
The eighth wine was a Mugneret Bourgogne Rouge and I did guess it as a French wine. It was not too dense, had a touch of sous bois on the nose, unusual taste. I liked the nose better than the taste.
I think only one woman in the crowd got all eight wines correct as to nationality. She said it was easy for her--if she liked the wine she guessed it to be a Saintsbury wine. (She may have lots of experience with their wines). It was interesting that the Garnet was selected as favorite for drinking now and the Brown Ranch as having the most potential (and I noted potential in the Saintsbury Pinot Noir Reserve as well).
The eighth wine was

[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 08-20-2004).]

[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 08-20-2004).]

[winoweenie]

Was .................what????ww

[Thomas]

keep 'em in suspense...

[wondersofwine]

was...
(Leftover partial phrase from my editing.
My editing needs editing.