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+--- Thread: Sketchy notes on offline at Samos, Baltimore (/thread-15336.html)
- wondersofwine - 04-29-2009
I had a great time with Mark and Hattie and Connie at the offline at Samos but was not a good note taker. We had mainly Australian wines but Mark/Brappy also brought old-style and modern-style Spanish reds for us to compare. The more modern-style 2004 ALLENDE RIOJA (13.5% abv) was not drinking particularly well that night. A little rough with blueberries or boysenberries predominating.
I much prefered the more traditional 2001
IMPERIAL RESERVA RIOJA from CVNE (13% abv.) Pretty dark red color with some transparency. Attractive nose. Red berries or cherries with a little earth. Impressive.
Of the Australian Shiraz, Brappy's contribution of the 2002 and 2004 ELDERTON COMMAND were the clear highlights. I especially liked the older vintage which was leggy, rich and dense with tasty ripe fruit and a peppery edge. Brappy pointed out the mint or eucalyptus note which I likely would have missed without his prompting. The 2004 vintage was showing some baby fat according to Brappy but had luscious fruit. I found it to be less peppery and less minty.
I contributed a 2003 THORPE WINES SHIRAZ, McLaren Vale (14% abv) and a 2003 DOG RIDGE VINEYARD DV7, McLaren Vale (15% abv), both of which received high honors at a Sydney competition as red wines judged with food. I found the Thorpe to be very smooth (and had prefered the regular Shiraz to the reserve from that vintage.) The Dog Ridge was bottled with screwcap and had some pepper along with fruit. I prefered the DV7 to the more expensive MVP but Brappy expressed an interest in tasting the top of the line. I was going to bring as a novelty wine the Rosemblum Desiree (chocolate infused Port) but couldn't locate it. I brought instead as a dessert wine the 1999 Weingut Karlsmuhle Lorenzhofer Riesling Eiswein (AP # 3536016900; 9.5% abv) from the Obermosel or Saar region. Bright copper color; honeyed, peachy notes. The food was terrific as always. I kept reaching for the pita bread and Tzatziki sauce and we also had tiny lamb chops, shrimp, Greek salad, grape leave wrapped dish, etc.
[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 04-29-2009).]
- winoweenie - 04-29-2009
Another WOW meal and not Wonders. WW