WCC Grenache @ Fort Orange Club, 5/19/2016

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

2014 Daou Vineyards Grenache Blanc - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Pop and pour. Lovely floral nose. Complex flowers and fruit with a nice bite in the finish. Went well with the amazing Black Bass dish. (91 points)

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.

2013 McPrice Myers Grenache L'Ange Rouge - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
[Double decanted at 4pm.] Tasty with bright red fruit. Simple and appealing. (88 points)
2013 Viñedos Bernabeleva Vinos de Madrid Bernabeleva Arroyo del Tórtolas - Spain, Madrid, Vinos de Madrid
[Double decanted for about 45 minutes at 5pm.] Muted red fruit nose. Tart, tight, tannic. Sour and not appealing at this stage. Judgement reserved.
2012 Bodegas y Viñedos del Jalón Garnacha Calatayud Teorema - Spain, Aragón, Calatayud
[Double decanted at 1pm for four hours.] Young, sweet, thick and gummy. Yuck! (72 points)
2012 Wind Gap Wines Old Vine - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
[Double decanted for one hour around 10am.] Tasty, nice fruit, a touch of tannin. Needs some time to come together. (88 points)

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

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

2010 Bodegas Breca Garnacha 100% Garnacha Old Vines - Spain, Aragón, Calatayud
[Double decanted for a few hours around 10am.] Noticeably richer than the Flight 1. Dark red fruit, some tannin. Still young. Needs 2-4 years. (89 points)
2011 Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva - Italy, Sardinia, Cannonau di Sardegna
[Double decanted at 1pm.] Similar to the previous wine. Rich red fruit. Some tannin. Needs a few years. (88 points)
2011 Yangarra Estate Grenache Old Vine - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
[Double decanted around 4:30 for about 20 minutes.] Lighter than the last two. Sweet fruit with an appealing bite. The most appealing wine so far with some nice structure and a little complexity. Should drink well for 10 years. (90 points)
2009 Jeff Runquist Grenache "R" Silvaspoons Vineyard - USA, California, Central Valley, Alta Mesa
[Double decanted around 4:30 for about 20 minutes.] Strawberry candy. Sweet and gunky. Yuck. Everything I don't like in over-ripe grenache. Group WOTN. Go figure. Several of us hated it.
2011 Beckmen Vineyards Grenache Purisima Mountain Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
[Double decanted at 7am.] Very thick and ripe, but with a sense of balance and harmony. Best wine so far for me. (92 points)

Flight 3: 2007, 2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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

2007 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
[Double decanted at 5am.] Thick, tannic. A serious wine with ripe fruit. Appealing but needs 3-5 years more. (93 points)
2009 Domaine Isabel Ferrando Châteauneuf-du-Pape Colombis - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
[Double decanted for about 45 minutes at 5pm.] Complex and spicy, but that thick gunkiness makes it less appealing. Still, in 5-10, could be excellent. (92 points)
2009 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
[Double decanted for a few hours around 10am.] Rich, tannic. Sweet fruit. Too young, but complex with potential to be 93-95. (93-95 points)

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

2004 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Garnacha Campo de Borja - Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja
[Double decanted for a few hours around 10am.] Port! Absolutely delicious port. I don't care if the bottle says it's not. (93 points)
2003 Tir Na N'og Grenache Old Vines - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
[Double decanted at 4pm for about 90 minutes.] Thick, complex. A full rich complex wine just beginning its plateau of maturity. Great fruit, but more structure and complexity. #2 WOTN for me. (94 points)
2003 Alban Vineyards Grenache Alban Estate Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
[Double decanted around 11am.] Dark, serious, complex red and black fruit. Rich and compelling. WOTN for me. (95 points)
2003 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Garnacha Campo de Borja - Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja
[Double-decanted for 45-50 minutes at 5:30pm.] Tart, tannic, out of balance to me. May resolve with more time.

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)

Rank	Pts	Wine	Country
1	19	2009 Jeff Runquist Grenache "R" Silvaspoons Vineyard	USA
2(tie)	10	2009 Domaine Isabel Ferrando Châteauneuf-du-Pape Colombis	France
2(tie)	10	2004 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Garnacha Campo de Borja	Spain
2(tie)	10	2003 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Garnacha Campo de Borja	Spain
5	7	2007 Pierre Usseglio Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul	France
6	6	2003 Tir Na N'og Grenache Old Vines	Australia
7	5	2011 Beckmen Vineyards Grenache Purisima Mountain Vineyard	USA
8	4	2003 Alban Vineyards Grenache Alban Estate Vineyard	USA
9	3	2011 Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva	Italy
10	2	2012 Wind Gap Wines Old Vine	USA
11(tie)	1	2011 Yangarra Estate Grenache Old Vine	Australia
11(tie)	1	2009 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin	France

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.