WCC Blind Grenache Tasting
Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY, 5/19/2016

My Albany-area group (the Wine Collectors Club) got together to taste Grenache from around the world blind at the Fort Orange Club in Albany. Dinner began around 7:30pm and ended around 10pm. Each person brought a bottle wrapped in brown paper. Only one person knew which wine was which.

Click on any image with a border for a larger view of that image.

The main entrance to the Fort Orange Club, the menu for tonight, and a monogrammed fork handle.

More photos of the Fort Orange Club and downtown Albany are at the bottom of this page.


Starter


Flight 1: 2012-2013 USA & Spain

Floridian Black Bass Fillet with Chickpeas, Plum Tomatoes, Basil, Prosciutto, Lemon Oil Dressed Arugula, and Roasted Garlic Kalamata Gribiche.
One of the best dishes I have ever had. Every bite bursting with flavor. Did not go with the red wines, but luckily I still had some white left in my glass.


Flight 2: 2010-2011 Spain, Italy, Australia, & USA

Duck Confit with Poulet Glaces, Pan Browned Gnocchi, and Shallots. Delicious and very wine friendly.


Flight 3: 2007, 2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Pan Roasted Lamb Loin Chop with Bootleg Port-Cherry Sauce, and Whipped Potato.


Flight 4: 2003-2004 Spain, Australia, & USA
With Lamb pictured above.

Dessert

Sweet Potato-Apple Galette with Cinnamon Whipped Cream. Serious yum!


Conclusion

There were some very good wines here, esp. in the last 2 flights, but Grenache is just not my cup of wine.

Notes posted from CellarTracker.



WOTN Voting (3pts each for #1, 2pts for #2, 1pt for #3)

RankPtsWineCountry
1192009 Jeff Runquist Grenache "R" Silvaspoons VineyardUSA
2(tie)102009 Domaine Isabel Ferrando Châteauneuf-du-Pape ColombisFrance
2(tie)102004 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Garnacha Campo de BorjaSpain
2(tie)102003 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Garnacha Campo de BorjaSpain
572007 Pierre Usseglio Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon AïeulFrance
662003 Tir Na N'og Grenache Old VinesAustralia
752011 Beckmen Vineyards Grenache Purisima Mountain VineyardUSA
842003 Alban Vineyards Grenache Alban Estate VineyardUSA
932011 Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna RiservaItaly
1022012 Wind Gap Wines Old VineUSA
11(tie)12011 Yangarra Estate Grenache Old VineAustralia
11(tie)12009 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée ChaupinFrance



The Fort Orange Club and Downtown Albany

We've had many dinners here over the years, but it was unusual for me to get here early on such a beautiful day, so I had to take some photos of the outside of the Fort Orange Club and its surroundings.

Downtown Albany: NYS Capitol on the left, Empire State Plaza on the right. (Note that the original photo is almost 8MB.)

Looking east on Washington Ave toward Albany City Hall,
with the Capitol on the right.

The Alfred E. Smith Building dwarfs the Fort Orange Club.

The high class people go in the front door.

I go in the back door.

 

 

 


All original content © Ken Vastola