For Kelly and Tim’s birthday this year we decided to relive the glory of last year’s Double Trouble with Bubbles. Only this time we picked out 1 bubbles and an assortment of other goodies suited to everyone’s individual tastes.
1. Bruno Paillard Champagne Premiere Cuvee Reims France For Kelly and Tim!
Nose: Ellen smelled Martinelli’s Apple Cider while Russ smelled sweet corn. Katie got canned pear syrup and Alea also smelled pear and white sweet corn.
Palate: Colin noted that the palate was actually not that bubbly but Katie thought it was sparkly. Ellen said the palate was muted, Nikki got lemony and Kelly thought it was doughy.
Rating: 6.3/10
2. 2008 Rocken Dry Riesling (for Nikki)
Nose: Katie smelled celery, Colin got lemony cleaning product and Twaggles and Russ got some essence of feet. Alea said she smelled flint that has just been struck while Kelly said really slight petrol with lime. Nikki smelled white peach.
Palate: Dave thought the palate was really silky while Nikki tasted nectarine and Ellen tasted honey. Russ picked up on some dried apricots and Fernanda and Nikki agreed. Katie though it might be her favorite Riesling.
Rating: 6.8/10
3. 2006 Surh Luchtel Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) –$25 For Alea, Kelly, and Pinot Whores everywhere
Nose: Alea smelled cured meat and plum and Ellen got some light citrus but added that it might just be the smell of wine away. Colin thought it smelled like Evergreen and Nikki and Dave added xmas spice and cloves.
Palate: Katie thought the palate was piney and Tim Borjas said it was a pretty good wine. Ellen agreed it was a delicious pinot and Alea said it was delicate, approachable, and fantastic. Dave came through with some actual descriptives claiming to taste pepper with a hint of Latex.
Rating 6.9/10 (this wine got three ratings of a 9 which is very rare)
4. 1999 Barbaresco Cascina Morassino Nebiola $57 For everyone
Nose: Katie thought this smelled good like a campfire, Coli got prune, and Alea got potpurri, fig, plus, wood and black licorice. Nikki got black jelly bean (not jelly belly). Twaggles smelled windex and Tim B said sazerac. Kelly noted that smelling this mentholy wine will get you high.
When the varietal was revealed Nikki said “Holy tannin, now I get it!”
Palate: Colin thought this beast of a wine tasted like a kick in the mouth with a licorice show and Katie compared it to sucking on a peppercorn. Ellen got some fennel on the finish. Nikki just thought it was pure delicious and Ellen got his it the nasal (while tasting). Kelly likened it to a strawberry dipped in antiseptic.
Rating: 7.9/10
5. 2007 Gigondas Domaine de Font-Sane Tradition – For Ellen, Colin, and other lovers of French Reds
Nose: Ellen loved the smell, getting hints of balsamic reduction. Nikki smelled brown sugar, cured bacon, and chicken & waffles from Oakland. Kelly found hints of French oak barrel and cherry-cokey.
Palate: Dave thought it was nom nom but hurt the top of his mouth. Ellen tasted cherry syrup in a good way and Kelly picked up on black cherry, vanilla, and cinnamon. Colin thought the wine was well-balanced and Alea agreed saying “Yum!”
Rating: 7/10
6. 2007 Rockpile Ridge Zinfandel – For Katie, Russ, Alea and other Zinners
Nose: Fernanda smelled bananas, Kelly got blackberries, and Nikki said blue cheese. Alea noted some blueberry and Ellen got banana flavored anti-septic??
Palate: Russ loved the tasted and Kelly tasted some black pepper. Katie tasted all runt flavors crunched into 1 single flavor.
And then the notes stopped and Kelly poured smirnoff ice into a wine bong
Cheers!
the young winos of san francisco 
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