Blind Bordeaux Challenge XIII.

The Grand Cru (i.e., the Doc, Stockbroker, Vigneron and myself), together with our respective wives, met yet again for this year's 2nd Blind Bordeaux Challenge on Thursday night, 20 August 2009, at Old Manila. For those unfamiliar, our group holds this event for fun 3-4 times a year, blind tasting 4 competing reds, one from each of us . Since everyone in the group is pretty much Bordeaux-centric when it comes to red wine, the idea is to "compete" who brings the best wine of the night, the winner and his wife getting treated to dinner by the non-winners.

Rules are simple:

• No restrictions on vintage or price.


• While most everyone brings Bordeaux all the time, bringing a non-Bordeaux red to compete is encouraged to challenge the group's preferences. Since this event began, only 3 non-Bordeaux wines were ever entered and none ever won.


• A vote for 1st Place carries 4 points, 2nd Place 3 points, 3rd Place 2 points, 4th Place 1 point.


• In the case of a tie in points, the less expensive wine prevails, the value to be the lowest in-stock, non-auction price of the bottle in the USA as appears in http://www.wine-searcher.com/.


• Absolutely no expression of observations or opinions about any of the competing reds is allowed until after the last ballot is submitted for tallying.


• Once a ballot is submitted, no changing of ranking is allowed.


• Aside from the winner and his wife getting treated to dinner, the former reigns as "king" over the others until unseated by subsequent vinous battle.

Having won Blind Bordeaux Challenge XII by a small margin with a 1998 Château L'Evangile, I was the reigning "king", and the others were hot after my crown. Everyone was a threat. Everyone, in varying degrees, has a deep bench of potential winners, and everyone always wants to win. More than any of us, the one who has a collection that includes top-notch non-Bordeaux wines that could legitimately compete at this level is, undoubtedly, the Stockbroker.

By 7:45, we were complete and we began with some whites with our amuse bouche and appetizers:

2004 Leewin Chardonnay Art Series - The Stockbroker's bottle. I've had this at least twice before, the last time I think was on the 17th February 2009, at a serious wine dinner at Ciçou with the usual suspects. My notes then are as follows:

Johnny R's bottle. I remember this wine showed quite well in the International Wine & Food Society's Blind Chardonnay tasting a little over a year ago (24th January 2008).

This hefty, generous and very fruit-forward Aussie chard has nice balancing acidic and mineral lift to its nicely rounded, ripely sweetish, softly-baked apple, pear and vanilla/oak dominant flavors. Nuance of butterscotch as well. Mild citrus notes emerge past mid-mouth and hug the background. I also liked this a lot with the pork rillette, its ripe fruit and vanilla/oak running hand-in-hand with the dish, adding a baked apple dimension to the pork (roast pork loin with applesauce came to mind), leaving the cut to the cornichons.

The bottle last night seemed to have notably better acidic lift and balance, focus and less oak/vanilla than I my last notes disclose. The Stockbroker's Premium Wine Exchange carries the Leewin lines, including the Art Series Chardonnay. The 2004 vintage is already all sold out, but they already have the 2005 vintage in stock.

2001 Léon Beyer Gewürztraminer Réserve - My bottle, which I enjoyed with a comforting bowl of French Onion Soup. This was an excellent gewürztraminer in the typically dry Beyer style - very nicely clean, lean (compared to the more modern gewürztraminers that are riper, fleshier and with more residual sugar), pure, well focused, and, consequently, much more food-friendly and versatile with savory dishes. The nose presents a honeyed note to the lychees, peach and roses, but, in the mouth, it is nicely and appetizingly dry. My wife, the Stockbroker and I really liked this a lot.

Very highly recommended for those who like traditional Alsace gewürz. Available at Bacchus.

The competing reds were then brought to table...

...and tasting in earnest began.


My own notes and ranking (I tasted alone and with my Rare Grilled Rib-Eye Steak):



Wine #1 - Sweet tea, cranberry, bit of raspberry over black cherry over cassis. A bit of a sweaty topnote at first, but blew off a bit after a while. A touch of savage. Long tartish cherry finish. I ranked this 2nd Place. It turned out to be the Vigneron's 1985 Château Léoville Barton.

Wine #2 - Initial rusty topnotes in the nose gave way to dark minerals, herbaceous, touch of green pepper over dark fruit laced with asphalt. In the mouth, it was the most commanding, deeply fruited, lush and powerful. Notes of black coffee, dark chocolate and a bit of tar underpinned the blackcurrant, cassis, violets, cherry, dried tamarind, bit of cedar. Not a great nose, but, in the mouth, it was, to me, the best by far. I ranked it 1st Place. It was my 1999 Château Latour (double decanted: just under 3 hours at home and poured back into bottle for transport to the evening's venue).

Wine #3 - My notes are telegraphic: Comparatively thin after the immediately preceding wine, gravel, earthy, cassis, cedar and a bit of sour cherry and dried tamarind. I ranked this 4th Place and it was later revealed to be the Doc's 1989 Château Lynch Bages. I ordinarily love this wine and even ranked it my 2nd Place in the previous Challenge. I believe this bottle was very slightly off.

Wine #4 - I initially found this a bit strange in balance. However, by my 4th pass, it revealed its admirable structure, strong backbone, slight iodine touches to its cassis, cedar and violets. Very long finish. Confident wine, well put-together. I ranked this 3rd Place. It was the Stockbroker's 1994 Dominus, the Napa venture of Christian Moueix of Pétrus fame.

As always, the tallying and computation of points were accomplished by Mrs. Vigneron.

The Collective Results:

There was a tie in points for 1st Place (i.e., two wines garnered a total of 24 points each), so, per our rules, the less expensive wine prevailed.

1st Place - The Stockbroker's 1994 Dominus with 24 points (two votes for 1st Place, four votes for 2nd Place and two votes for 3rd Place).

2nd Place - My 1999 Château Latour with 24 points (four votes for 1st Place, one vote for 2nd Place, two votes for 3rd Place and one vote for 4th Place).

3rd Place - The Vigneron's 1985 Château Léoville Barton with 17 points (one vote for 1st Place, two votes for 2nd Place, two votes for 3rd Place and three votes for 4th Place).

4th Place - The Doc's 1989 Château Lynch Bages with 15 points (one vote for 1st Place, one vote for 2nd Place, two votes for 3rd Place and four votes for 4th Place).

The Stockbroker offered to share the win with me as there was a tie in points. Our rules, however, would not permit me to accept his magnanimous gesture (not that I would have accepted in any event) - especially since I was the one who drew up the rules and the whole group passed the same unanimously.

Thus, as it was in The Highlander, there could be only one. I must make special note that the Stockbroker did not vote his own wine 1st Place; on the contrary, he voted his own wine 3rd Place, the same as I. In fact, the Stockbroker voted my wine 1st Place (as did I, the Vigneron and Mrs. Doc). His win, therefore, is pure and conclusive.

Moreover, the Stockbroker's win is a milestone in our little competition in that it was the very first time a non-Bordeaux wine won. A fortiori, congratulations are well in order.

Desserts were then ordered, and the Vigneron had served his bottle of...

1997 Château de Myrat - The Vigneron's bottle, as stated. Ranked a Sauternes 2nd Growth in the 1855 Classification, I've had this wine before, during an all-Sauternes/Barsac pairing dinner at Yung Kee, Hong Kong (29th May 2008). My notes then are as follows:

The 1997 de Myrat's visage of beautifully deep, amber-gold with an orange blush made me expect more body/weight/complexity than it's light-side-of-medium body and dominant bittersweet orange marmalade back-end displayed. Fair enough of a wine (depending on its price), but I couldn't help thinking it didn't live up to its looks.

Over a year later and from a different bottle, I must say that this was heftier (just a few shades under legitimate full-bodiedness), fatter, more lush and generous. Good amount of botrytis in this. Good show. My wife, Mrs. Vigneron, the Stockbroker and I clearly enjoyed it and happily accepted second pours.

Good natured teasing and warm laughter ensued over some cups of coffee, espresso and plates of petits fours. It was really fun to get together again for one of our Challenges. It's been way too long.


Hail to the new King. It was a battle hard-fought and a victory well-deserved. Until the next.

Wine by the Glass in Metro Manila.

Time was, one couldn't get a glass of halfway decent wine to go with one's meal in this country. I'm referring to wine by the glass. Much as I would like to be able to have a bottle or two of wine every time I eat out, work, time constraints and health concerns conspire against me. Well, those factors as well as my view that a bottle of wine, once opened, has to be finished because it will never be as good later on. Thankfully, the local vin au verre situation has changed dramatically in the past 5 years.

7th August 2009, Lunch at Ciçou with the Vigneron.

On the table for me were...

Chanterelle and Truffle Cappuccino, and,

Roasted Sea Bass Crusted with Powder of Assorted Nuts, Chanterelle and Asparagus, Smoked Ham and Parmesan Sauce,

...with a glass of 2008 Château de Roquefort Côtes de Provence Corail Rosé. I've mentioned recently that this is:

...a fresh and commandingly structured, red-fruited rosé with oh-so-slight, yet distinctive, pepper and dried herb nuances. Very accessible, charming and easy to drink a lot of. I've had this several times in Je Suis Gourmand with Marc's cassoulet, couscous with trio of lamb (a particularly good pairing), etc. I've also had it in Ciçou as well with Cyrille's version of cassoulet. My two teen-agers like this too with Marc's escargots. At a mere P910 per bottle full retail at Sommelier Selection, it's a very good deal.

Due to the ingredients of the two dishes involving delicately earthy chanterelles, truffles and a relatively commandingly flavored fish, a rosé was a fine match for both. It had enough structure not to get lost in the creamy cappuccino (and underlying truffled mashed potatoes) yet was light-handed enough to allow the fish to shine. Lovely.

11th August 2009, Lunch at Terry's 2º Piso with my wife.

There to pick up some sobrasada, rosado, Pedro Ximénez and, eventually, some oloroso, we decided to have a light sandwich lunch, sharing an appetizer of...

Gambas al Ajillo with...

2008 Bodegas Marco Real Homenaje Blanco - Surely dominated by viura, presenting fresh, drily crisp, virtually snappy character with light, white floral notes in its green apple and appetite-enhancing slight almond-bitterness past mid-mouth. Though brightly edgy, it's not sharp at all as there is a distinct, though discreet, rounded weight in the middle that 100% viura's do not possess (none that I've tried anyway). Nice balance. Simple, good, and simply good. Terry's sells this for a song around P300/bottle or maybe even less. Excellent value for money house white to go with simply prepared or even slightly spicy seafood dishes.

Bocadillo of Joselito "Gran Reserva" Iberico Bellota ham, extra-virgin olive oil and freshly marinated crushed tomatoes

Upon opening this indulgent sandwich, Miguel's post on Paco Meralgo in Barcelona, specifically, the pictures of the typical pan con tomate with jamon Iberico, came immediately to mind. I remember because he told me how to make it at home. With this, I had the latest vintage 2008 Bodegas Marco Real Homenaje Rosado. I've written about the 2007 vintage of this grenache-based rosado so many times and have opened countless bottles of it myself, so there is no need to belabor the point that I consider it the very best value for money rosé locally available.

What I can say is, aside from it being a fresh, lively, and deeply fruited rosado, it seems more concentrated yet lighter in alcohol than the 2007 vintage (and that is a good thing). I bought some bottles of both the rosado and blanco for the house that day, and I shall certainly buy more.

As a pairing for my Iberico Bellota ham sandwich, the rosado's red fruit played with the ham's savory-sweetish-saltiness, both underscoring the latter's savory flavors and cutting it's delightful fattiness. Couldn't ask for more for a lunch. Simple, hearty, natural, excellent. That's the way I like it.

I was also in the market for a Pedro Ximénez based wine to go with a chocolate dessert for a dinner by Ian Padilla last night (which I wasn't able to attend due to a bad case of the flu) - specifically, I wanted to buy some Bodegas Gomara Lacrimae Christi PX Moscatel that I had at JC's 2nd July 2009 dinner. That being out of stock, however, I tried out some of the Leyenda Pedro Ximénez Sherry with the Chocolate Marquis.

Though the Leyenda PX was not quite as deep, complex or graceful as the Lacrimae Christi (JC emphasized that the former is not made or aged the same way as the latter after all), the Leyenda shared some of the Lacrimae Christi's hallmark PX flavors of raisins, dark molasses (Rene said more like muscovado to him), licorice, and dark chocolate. Still and all, I found it to be a good match with my rich chocolate dessert.

At a mere P700+/bottle, it's an absolute no-brainer pairing for similar chocolate desserts. I really can't understand why PX wines for dessert haven't caught on in Manila. Anyway, that just means more for me.

Aaron's Spanish Wine Tasting Dinner at La Tienda.

This past Monday, 10th August 2009, was a dinner at La Tienda during which Aaron Palileo presented many of Freixenet's wines which his family company, ADP Industries, distributes. Miguel took care of the reservations and menu with chef Javi Lecumberri. Of course, many of our old favorite dishes were on deck. We were 15 persons in all, 11 different wines, 2 bottles of each wine so everyone could have a proper taste of each.

We started off with some glasses of...

Freixenet Elyssia Pinot Noir Brut - Per Aaron, this is a méthode champenoise bubbly made out of 85% pinot noir and 15% trepache. Light-footed but definitive fresh strawberries with cherry and mildly spiced black currant nuances underneath. Straightforward with light mousse, it is a fun bubbly and very easy to drink. With its openness and approachability, at a full retail price of P1200/bottle, this would be great for beach trips, big gatherings, wedding toasts or casual home enjoyment.

L-R: Brendan Egan, Robert Burroughes and Dave Stockdale

Miguel and Rene

Dishes of chorizos (curados and boiled Pamplona) then made their way to the table, together with escalivadas and boquerónes, which we enjoyed with...

Chorizos Curados

Boquerónes

Escalivadas with...

René Barbier Cava Brut Reserva - A blend of macabeo (a.k.a, viura, 50%), parellada (35%) and xarel-lo (a.k.a., pansà blanca, 15%), bright, crisp, medium weight, frothy middle, presenting clean, dry, green apple, citrus, hint of white peach with touches of almond and light bready/yeastiness towards the back. Nice middle, healthy/bracing acidity, correct balance and length. I liked it with the pulpo à la Gallega and even the curados and boiled Pamplona chorizos. At P1100/bottle full retail, it's a cava I'd have at home for pairing with chorizos, Spanish ham and seafood based tapas.

L-R: Jo & Aaron with Bill Stone

Next dish on the table was...

Almejas, just in time to be enjoyed with the...

2008 Vionta Albariño - a newly locally available albariño hailing from Rías Baixas, Galicia, perfectly paired with the almejas and boquerónes (Miguel deftly kept a plate of the latter aside for this wine). With clean flavors of green apple, ripe pear (in the middle), white peach, bit of ripe citrus and a hint of fennel, this was undoubtedly one of the wines of the evening. Paired with the seafood tapas (as well it should as this is the traditional/regional pairing in Galicia), it drew enthused comments from Aled Morris, Dave Stockdale, Brendan Egan and John Harvey. Chef Javi even took a quick break from the kitchen to savor a glass of this wine.

Full retail is P900/bottle. A good, somewhat riper rendition of albariño. Enjoy with fresh, simply prepared seafood/shellfish dishes.

Clockwise from Left: Aaron, John, Bill, Aled, Robert, Dave and Lawrie.

Next was another white...

2007 Morlanda Blanc - Probably the first white wine from Priorat I have ever tried, Aaron noted that this is composed of garnacha blanca and macabeo, made with 6 months ageing. The oak ageing is quite apparent in the wine's hefty, rounded, low acid, soft, ripe, fleshy, somewhat honeyed fruit, lemon cream, almond paste and oak/vanilla notes. My sister-in-law, Michelle, preferred this over the preceding white as it was more her type of white. At P1500/bottle full retail, this is priced higher than most locally available Spanish whites, but fans of Priorat's big, ripe, somewhat alcoholic style would most likely take to it easily.

Miguel and Aaron determining the progression of wines.

2007 Fra Guerau Montsant Rosé - Since I was out smoking and talking with Miguel and Javi, I missed trying this wine that night, so my notes from 30 April 2009 will have to do for now:

Montsant is a Catalonian (northeastern Spain) DO wine region surrounding better known Priorat. Quite dark for a rosé, almost like a claret. Aaron has since informed me that this is made up of syrah, merlot and tempranillo.This is probably the darkest, fullest, heftiest and most intensely flavored rosé I have ever had, the only other coming close (in heft, but not color) is the 2005 La Rosée de Pavie.... At 13.5%abv, it has the same alcohol level as many traditional Bordeaux reds.

I have no idea what the proportions of the grapes are in this, but I sure did taste the strong influence of syrah. Lots of ripe, spicy, mildly black peppery raspberry and cherry in this. Slight cassis with Provençal-esque nuances underneath, with a pronounced minerality and a faintly medicinal character surfacing mid-mouth. Smooth enough, it is a heavy yet mellow rosé. Nice match for the pissaledière, particularly the black olives. I would imagine this heavyweight rosé would have no problems pairing with roast rack of lamb.

A mere P800/bottle at full retail.

My sis-in-law, Mich, enjoying the Besugo al Horno and Paella de Verduras (below) made with Basmati with a glass of rosé.

I also missed tasting the 2004 Valdubón Crianza, pity because my wife told me she liked this one and I do like Ribera del Duero's tempranillos. Given how both bottles of this disappeared so quickly, however, it seems like a good deal at P1250/bottle full retail. I believe my wife and sis-in-law finished off the bottle on our side of the table while I was smoking outside. Anyway, I blame them for not leaving me any.

Aled and Dave, though, obviously enjoyed it.

With the Chuletón, the bigger reds made their entrance.

Chuletón, nice and rare, just the way I like it.

2005 Fra Guerau Crianza - A blend, per Aaron, of syrah, granacha, monastrell, tempranillo, cariñena, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Young, smoky, toasty, woody, spicy, peppery deep red fruit (cherry, raspberry, strawberry) over dark (blackberry, cassis), cedar, oak. Quite modern. P1250/bottle full retail.

After a bit of decanting...

2005 Morlanda Tinto Vi de Guarda - This should really have been decanted at least a couple of hours before serving opined Javi. Typical of Priorat in terms of ripeness to me. Quite a bit of alcohol (14.5% abv) and wood on the nose that toned down after time in the decanter and in the glass. Just a shade over medium-bodied, this is an intense wine with warm, ripe dark fruit, faint pepper and just a whisper of animal gaminess. At P3800/bottle full retail, fans of Priorat should check this one out.

John pours Brendan more of the Morlanda Tinto, as Bill and Rene look on.

2005 Honoris de Valdubón - I found this one of the better reds of the evening, although, understandably, quite young at this point. Definitive, bright, ripe, slightly spicy and notably deeply-veined red berry/fruit (cherry, strawberry, raspberry), bit of plum with slight, underlying cassis and black coffee. There is quite a bit of oak, but I think it may integrate well enough in time. Smoothly confident, with a long finish. Liked this one. At P4750/bottle, it's one for the cellar.

¡Salud! from Edwin and Miguel

1999 René Barbier Gran Reserva - already quite mature, I've tried this before from Aaron not too long ago. My notes then were as follows:

This was a suave, confident, more complex wine with violets on the nose and chocolate, leather and slight kirsch to the mellowed, well-knit, softly mature fruit. Warm and somber. I would buy this wine and could definitely drink this on rainy evenings at home.

At a mere P1100/bottle for a mature Penedès Gran Reserva, it's a no-brainer to buy.

Robert and Lawrie having a good laugh

There were many more wines to try, but we were all getting a bit sloshed already. We, thus, went for a bit more bubbly to cleanse the palate and end on a bright note. Bottles of...

2004 Freixenet Cava Brut Nature - probably the first vintage cava I've ever had. Notably deeper in fruit than the René Barbier Cava Brut Reserva above mentioned and creamier as well, if not quite as focused or bright. This has hints of gingerbread in its apple and citrus flavors, as well as a mild, underlying coffee nuance towards the back. I liked this quite a bit and it was a most refreshing and welcome palate cleanser after an almost 5-hour long tasting-dinner. At a mere P1000/bottle full retail, one can certainly back up the truck on this one.

Jo, on the right, enjoying the bubbly, while Catha looks like she's already enjoyed too much of it.

Thanks Aaron and Jo for all the wine, to Javi for all the food and to everyone else there for their company! It was a real fun evening. I slept like a baby for the first time in a week.

Those interested in any of the wines may contact adp@adpic.org

Disclaimer/Disclosure: I am not connected with ADP Industries, or any other wine-seller or distributor, in any way, manner or form. Aaron is a friend of mine, as are several local wine distributors whose wines I write about.