Storyline:
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Menu Intro
Ann Arbor, Michigan Cincinnati,
Ohio Day-Twah
(Detroit),
Michigan
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As
always, it was a pleasure to renew acquaintances with the many friends
we’ve made at this great event, and to meet new friends as well. I was
especially jazzed to finally chat in person with winemaker - in -
residence Brian Loring (below right,
on Larry Meehan's right), of the Loring
Wine Co. Brian and I have
exchanged good-natured barbs from time
to time regarding our respective hockey teams, he being a big Los
Angeles Kings fan. He also brought along samples of not only his own
Pinot Noir, but also those of Clos
Pepe Winery, Tandem
Winery, Siduri
and Testarossa
Vineyards, all of which were most tasty to this unabashed fan of
the New World versions of the varietal. |
There
was a ton of fine wines from around the world, and while I took no
notes, one that stood out in my mind (if for no other reason than the
fact that Kim and I brought it along!) was a 1998
Meerlust Stellenbosch Pinot Noir Reserve from South
Africa. We’d very much enjoyed past tastings of this
producer’s fine Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Rubicon (a meritage
blend), but this was the first time we’d ever seen this. It showed
deep dark color, with big dense fruit, more New World than Old in style,
and it proved to be a big hit, disappearing quickly.
The Sunday Blind Pinot Noir Challenge was held at the Polo Fields Country Club, just west of Ann Arbor. 13 wines were poured blind, and all we were told was that there were four selections from Echézeaux in Burgundy’s Cote de Nuits, four from Oregon’s Willamette Valley and five from the Russian River Valley in California’s Sonoma County. All the wines were from the 1999 vintage, with the exception of two. We were asked to try to determine the respective regions of each, at very least, and indeed, that was all I even attempted, with some success. I only missed on three, but how I thought that the ’99 Rochioli West Block was an Oregon wine is beyond me. My impressions were rather sketchy, and for that reason, we’ve opted to feature Larry Meehan’s excellent notes from this event. Kudos once again to the MoCool organizers, and you can bet that we’ll be back next year! On to the Sunday Blind Pinot Noir
Challenge
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Link to Gang of Pour Home Page © George Heritier
October 2002
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