Blind Guessing Sep 2007

1. Marietta NV Old Vine Red Lot 43
   
2. Sierra Cantabria 2001 Rioja Cuvee Especial
   
3. Montes 2005 Alpha Syrah
4. Thorn Clarke 2005 Barossa Cuvee
   
5. Quivera 2003 Wine Creek Ranch Petite Syrah
6. Marquis Philips 2005 SE Australia Shiraz
7. Castle Rock 2006 Pinot Noir Sonoma
   
8. Rosenblum 2003 Richard Sauret Zinfandel
9. Rosemount 2002 GSM
   
10. Root 1 2005 Cabernet
11. Las Rocas 2005 de San Alejandro Garnacha
12. Columbia Crest 2004 Merlot

9/12/2007: A sweet berry nose with light spice. A taste of sweet red berry.. a zin I thought. The only non-Rosenblum zin was the Marietta Old Vine Red... Yes, got it in one. The wine goes down easily. Wine: 87. Guessing: A-.

1. Seghesio 2003 Venom Sangiovese
   
2. Sierra Cantabria 2001 Rioja Cuvee Especial
   
3. Montes 2005 Alpha Syrah
4. Quivera 2003 Wine Creek Ranch Petite Syrah
5. Marquis Philips 2005 SE Australia Shiraz
6. Castle Rock 2006 Pinot Noir Sonoma
   
7. Dashe 2005 Zinfandel
   
8. Rosemount 2002 GSM
   
9. Root 1 2005 Cabernet
10. Las Rocas 2005 de San Alejandro Garnacha
11. Columbia Crest 2004 Merlot

9/14/2007:

1. Razor's Edge 2005 Shiraz
2. Sierra Cantabria 2001 Rioja Cuvee Especial
   
3. Montes 2005 Alpha Syrah
4. Quivera 2003 Wine Creek Ranch Petite Syrah
5. Marquis Philips 2006 Sarah's Blend
   
6. Thorn Clarke 2005 Terra Barossa Cabernet Importers Reserve
   
7. Dashe 2005 Zinfandel
   
8. Rosemount 2002 GSM
   
9. Root 1 2005 Colchugua Valley, Cabernet
10. Las Rocas 2005 de San Alejandro Garnacha
11. Castano 2003 Solanera Vinas Viejas
12. Rosenblum 2003 Richard Sauret Zinfandel
    

2/18/2007: A quandry. The sharp smell of Chile but not spicy and elegant enough to be the Montes Alpha. The wine went down easily implying a bit of an older wine. The wine also wasn't especially big and tasted like a Granache. Many choices... I went the Las Rocas Granache? Nope. Hmm.. the smell won out... Root 1 Cab from Chile? Yes! The wine is surprisingly good. Flavorful red berry in a juicy light weight body that finishes smoothly. Wine: 90. Guessing: B+.

1. Razor's Edge 2005 Shiraz
   
2. Sierra Cantabria 2001 Rioja Cuvee Especial
   
3. Montes 2005 Alpha Syrah
4. Quivera 2003 Wine Creek Ranch Petite Syrah
5. Marquis Philips 2006 Sarah's Blend
   
6. Thorn Clarke 2005 Terra Barossa Cabernet Importers Reserve
   
7. Dashe 2005 Zinfandel
   
8. Rosemount 2002 GSM
   
9. Castano 2003 Solanera Vinas Viejas
10. Rosenblum 2003 Richard Sauret Zinfandel
    

9/19/2007: Cabernet-like in aroma with dark berry and nice spices. A lush, intense wine. I didn't think the Thorn Clarke was this rich, but it's the only cab.. Thorn Clarke? no. Marquis Sarah's? No. The Quivera Petite? Nope. What else could this be? The Castano? Nope. I retasted for yet again and it suddenly hit me that this could be a zin... Dashe? Yep. A super wine: 91. Guessing: F.

1. Razor's Edge 2005 Shiraz
   
2. Sierra Cantabria 2001 Rioja Cuvee Especial
   
3. Montes 2005 Alpha Syrah
4. Quivera 2003 Wine Creek Ranch Petite Syrah
5. Marquis Philips 2006 Sarah's Blend
   
6. Thorn Clarke 2005 Terra Barossa Cabernet Importers Reserve
   
7. Rosenblum 2005 Monto Rosso Zindel
   
8. Rosemount 2002 GSM
   
9. Valentin Bianchi 2002 Cabernet
   
10. Las Rocas 2005 de San Alejandro Garnacha
11. Castano 2003 Solanera Vinas Viejas
12. Rosenblum 2003 Richard Sauret Zinfandel

9/20: Red berry, acidity, spice... Sarah's blend? Nope. Dusty dark fruit, closing down after 15 minutes. Las Rocas Granache? Nope. Turning smoother, but leaner after 20 min, with no more lush fruit. Rioja? Nope. Rosemount GSM? Nope. OK, this is getting ugly. Castano 2003 Solanera? Yes. A decent food wine. Wine: 87. Guessing: C-.

1. Razor's Edge 2005 Shiraz ; AU WS 90
   
2. Sierra Cantabria 2001 Rioja Cuvee Especial ; WS 89
   
3. Montes 2005 Alpha Syrah ; Chile WS 92
   
4. Quivera 2003 Wine Creek Ranch Petite Syrah; Sonoma
   
5. Marquis Philips 2006 Sarah's Blend; AU
   
6. Thorn Clarke 2005 Terra Barossa Cabernet Importers Reserve; AU WS 90
   
7. Rosenblum 2005 Monto Rosso Zindel ; Sonoma
   
8. Rosemount 2002 GSM McLaren Vale; AU
   
9. Valentin Bianchi 2002 Cabernet Famiglia ; Chile WS 91
   
10. Las Rocas 2005 de San Alejandro Garnacha
11. Fairview 2005 Shiraz ; Africa WS 90
    
12. Rosenblum 2003 Richard Sauret Zinfandel ; Paso WS 92

9/22/2007: I just opened the Bianchi Cab, since it was supposed be nice and it was nearing the 2008 drink by date the WS recommended. It was fine but nothing special. Moderate dark fruit with sporadic chilean funk, oak, spice in a dark but medium body. Smooth, short finish. Just not as good as it should have been. Wine: 88

1. Razor's Edge 2005 Shiraz ; AU WS 90
   
2. Sierra Cantabria 2001 Rioja Cuvee Especial ; WS 89
   
3. Montes 2005 Alpha Syrah ; Chile WS 92
   
4. Quivera 2003 Wine Creek Ranch Petite Syrah; Sonoma
   
5. Marquis Philips 2006 Sarah's Blend; AU
   
6. Thorn Clarke 2005 Terra Barossa Cabernet Importers Reserve; AU WS 90
   
7. Rosenblum 2005 Monto Rosso Zindel ; Sonoma
   
8. Rosemount 2002 GSM McLaren Vale; AU
   
9. Rosenblum 2005 Richard Sauret Zinfandel ; Paso WS ??
   
10. Las Rocas 2005 de San Alejandro Garnacha
11. Fairview 2005 Shiraz ; Africa WS 90
    
12. Rosenblum 2003 Richard Sauret Zinfandel ; Paso WS 92
13. 
    
14. Ole 2005 La Mancha Monastrell 3 (not in contention)

9/23/2007: Fresh black cherry with dark stony fruit. Short, juicy finish. Not complex but nice. Could almost be a "dark fruit" version of a mid-priced Cote du Rhone. It tastes young with the fruit and acidity. Thorn Clarke Cab? No. Las Rocas Garnache? No. Fairview Shiraz? Nope. Marquis Philips Sarah's Blend? Yes. Even though it took me 4 guesses, I thought I didn't do badly.. the granache was probably my only bad guess. Letting it breathe, it has gained complexity and some softness. Wine: 89. Guessing: B-.

1. Razor's Edge 2005 Shiraz ; AU WS 90
   
2. Sierra Cantabria 2001 Rioja Cuvee Especial ; WS 89
   
3. Montes 2005 Alpha Syrah ; Chile WS 92
   
4. Quivera 2003 Wine Creek Ranch Petite Syrah; Sonoma
   
5. Thorn Clarke 2005 Terra Barossa Cabernet Importers Reserve; AU WS 90
   
6. Rosenblum 2005 Monto Rosso Zindel ; Sonoma
   
7. Rosemount 2002 GSM McLaren Vale; AU
   
8. Rosenblum 2005 Richard Sauret Zinfandel ; Paso WS ??
   
9. Las Rocas 2005 de San Alejandro Garnacha
10. Fairview 2005 Shiraz ; Africa WS 90
    
11. Rosenblum 2003 Richard Sauret Zinfandel ; Paso WS 92
12. Ole 2005 La Mancha Monastrell 3

9/26/2007: smells and tastes like an older wine. Mild purple fruit with some earthiness and minerality. My gut was granache for the grape. Not a new world wine... 2001 Rioja? Nope. Los Rocas Granache? Yes. Wine: 87. Guessing: A-.

1. Razor's Edge 2005 Shiraz ; AU WS 90
   
2. Sierra Cantabria 2001 Rioja Cuvee Especial ; WS 89
   
3. Montes 2005 Alpha Syrah ; Chile WS 92
   
4. Quivera 2003 Wine Creek Ranch Petite Syrah; Sonoma
   
5. Thorn Clarke 2005 Terra Barossa Cabernet Importers Reserve; AU WS 90
   
6. Rosenblum 2005 Monto Rosso Zindel ; Sonoma
   
7. Rosemount 2002 GSM McLaren Vale; AU
   
8. Rosenblum 2005 Richard Sauret Zinfandel ; Paso WS ??
   
9. Tuttobene 2004 Toscana Rosso IGT
   
10. Fairview 2005 Shiraz ; Africa WS 90
    
11. Rosenblum 2003 Richard Sauret Zinfandel ; Paso WS 92
12. Sebastiani 2004 Cabernet Sonoma Reserve

9/28/2007: subdued fresh berry with some leatheryness.... ugh, I can't remember the whole story now (7 days later) but the wine wasn't that good and it was the Rosenblum Richard Sauret 2003, which had gotten a massive 92 from WS. Wine: 85.