Triangle Chapter, American Wine Society Serving Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC, and Vicinity www.awstriangle.org

Selected Tasting Results from Triangle AWS Chapter Tastings

The highest ranking wine in each tasting is highlighted.
Average Score Interpretation:  12-14 Good, 15-17 Excellent, 18+ Extraordinary.

August 2011:  Loire Reds

The Triangle (NC) Chapter met on August 21 at The Preserve in Wake Forest for a tasting hosted by Bob Butler.  We got to taste wines that most of us were not familiar with from France's Loire Valley.

YEAR WINE                                 RANK COST SCORE
2008 Mabileau, Frederic, St Nicolas de     (6) $18  12.4
     Bourgueil, Les Rouilleres
2007 Dom. Bernard Baudry, Cinon            (4) $17  14.1
2009 Reserve des Vignerons,                (1) $13  15.6
     Saumur Champigny
2010 Marionnet, Henry Premiere Vendenge    (2) $15  21.1
     Touraine
2009 Le Rocher des Violettes,              (3) $22  14.2
     Xavier WeisKopf (Malbec)
2006 Coteaux du Giennois, Les Tetes de     (5) $21  12.8
     Chats Matheu Coste (Pinot Noir)

July 2011:  Picnic Wines

The Triangle (NC) Chapter met on July 17 at Wine 101 in Wake Forest for a tasting of Picnic Wines, hosted by Deb Vogel. 

YEAR WINE                                     RANK COST SCORE
     Dom d l'Auriere Muscadet                  (4) $13  14.8
     Masciarelli Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Rose  (5) $11  13.2
     Protocolo Spanish Red                     (1) $8   15.7
     Mark Davidson "Three's a Crowd"           (1) $10  15.7
       Cabernet/Merlot
     OPN Pinot Noir NV                         (3) $18  15.5

June 2011:  Italian Whites

The Triangle (NC) Chapter met on June 12 at Wine 'n Things for a tasting hosted by Tommy Goff.  Tommy presented seven wines, all of which were Italian whites, most not well known.

YEAR WINE                               ________________  RANK COST SCORE
2009 Coffelle Soave Classico Garganega (Veneto)            (4) $18  14.3
2010 Sant Evasio Gavi di Gavi Corese (Piedmonte)           (3) $20  14.4
2009 Bidoli Friuliano Grave (Tokay; Friuli-Venezia-Giulia) (7) $13  13.6
2010 Vitiano Verdicchio / Vermentino (Umbria)              (2) $10  15.3
2009 Terradora Dipaolo Coda di Volpe (Campania)            (5) $17  14.1
2009 Garofoli Macrina Verdicchio (Marches)                 (6) $14  13.9
2009 Vietti Roero Arnes (Piedmonte)                        (1) $25  15.6

May 2011:  Charbono and Bonarda Wines

The Triangle (NC) Chapter met on May 15 at the Ward's Eno River Vineyards ("The Farm") in Durham for a tasting hosted by Jim Ward.  The Chapter had the opportunity to taste wines from grapes not so well known, sold under the Charbono and Bonarda names.

YEAR WINE                                 RANK COST SCORE
2009 Maipe Old Vine Reserve Bonarda        (4) $16  15.0
2008 Dante Robino Bonarda                  (6) $13  14.7
2007 Duxoup Wine Works Charbono            (4) $19  15.0
2005 Summers Estate Charbono               (3) $26  15.5
2007 Tofanelli Family Vineyards Charbono   (2) $32  16.4
2007 Robert Foley Vineyards Charbono       (1) $40  17.2

April 2011:  Zins and Blends

The Triangle (NC) Chapter met on April 17 at The Preserve clubhouse in Wake Forest for a tasting hosted by Tommy Goff.  Tommy presented six wines, half of which were all Zinfandel, and half of which were Zin Blends.  The standard deviation for the tasting was very high (especially for the last wine), indicating wide personal preferences.

YEAR WINE                                 RANK COST SCORE
2009 Bedrock Sonoma Old Vine Zinfandel     (3) $23  13.8
2008 Bedrock Sonoma Heirloom (Blend)       (4) $30  13.5
2006 Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel           (1) $30  14.3
2006 Geyser Ridge Zinfandel                (6) $33  12.5 SEE NOTE
2007 Ravenswood Vinter's Blend (of Zins)   (1) $9   14.3
2006 Ravenswood Old Hill Ranch (Blend)     (5) $65  13.4

NOTE:  We actually had two vintages of Geyser Ridge:  2006
       and 2007.  The quality of the 2006 pulled down the
       rating, as 2007 was much better.

March 2011:  Mollydooker Wines

The Triangle (NC) Chapter met on March 20 at the home of Fred and Kathy Brack for a tasting featuring exclusively Mollydooker wines. Barely half the 27 members present had heard of Mollydooker, but only a few had tried any of the wines before. Fred explained how Mollydooker was started in 2006 by established Australian winemakers Sarah and Sparky Marquis (often mispronounced as mar-KEY, but properly pronounced MAR-kwis), and he explained the story behind each wine name and label. He also demonstrated the "Mollydooker Shake," used to release the packaging nitrogen from the wine. The extremely fruit-forward wines were very well received by the membership!

YEAR WINE                                 RANK COST SCORE
2009 The Violinist, Verdelho                   $25  14.9
2009 The Scooter, Merlot                       $25  15.6
2009 The Maitre D, Cabernet                (3) $25  16.5
2007 Sip It Forward, Blend                     $25  16.2
     (aka Two Left Feet - see Note)
2009 The Boxer, Shiraz                     (2) $25  17.2
2009 Blue Eyed Boy, Shiraz                 (1) $49  17.6

Note:  The wine Sip It Forward is only available directly from Mollydooker.  It is a special packaging for charity of the 2007/2008 vintages of Two Left Feet, a blend of Cabernet, Shiraz, and Merlot.  The Boxer is their biggest seller among Mollydooker's 11 wines, although all the wines are hard to find, except via the website (www.mollydookerwines.com). 

February 2011:  The Wines of Alsace

The Triangle (NC) Chapter met on February 27, 2011, at the home of Jerzy and Shirley Buczak for a tasting featuring The Wines of Alsace. 22 members and guests were present.  While the two Gewürztraminers came in at #1 and #3, the standard deviation of the ratings for these two wines were the highest of the day, showing significant differences in the appreciation of this grape varietal.

YEAR WINE                                 RANK COST SCORE
NV   Lucien Albrecht Brut Rose                 $20  15.3
2006 Charles Schleret Sylvaner                 $16  14.1
2006 Trimbach Pinot Blanc                      $17  13.2
2009 Jean Albrecht Pinot Gris              (2) $18  16.3
2008 René Sparr Gewürztraminer             (3) $20  16.2
2005 Lucien Albrecht Pfingstberg Riesling      $40  15.6
2002 Hugel Gewürztraminer Vendange Tardive (1) $70  17.3

December 2010:  Grape Bases Spirits

This month the spirits were ranked, not rated, and here are the summary results:

1. Zardetto Grappa di Pino Prosecco - 5th

2. Chateau de Laubade Bas Armagnac XO - 3rd

3. Cardenal Mendoza Solera Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez - 1st

4. Germain-Robin Fine Alambic Brandy No. 25 - 4th

5. Delamain Grande Champagne Cognac "Pale & Dry" - 2nd

November 2010:  "High End" Wines With Doug Parsons

Notes:

• The first eight wines were tasted in pairs as representative of the same style of grape
• The last wine was a "bonus" wine, but we tasted it after the first two
• Prices are average, as some of these wines would have to be purchased on the secondary market (although most came from Doug's cellar)
• The first wine, J Faiverly, was extremely early in its drinking cycle and should be put down for a number of years to develop, according to Doug
• The standard deviation of the tasting results was the lowest of the year at 1.6

October 2010:  Oktoberfest - German Wines

September 2010:  National Tasting - South America

Read the Nationwide National Tasting Results

August 2010:  Wines of New Zealand

May 2010:  TNT - Tannat, Norton, Touriga

April 2010:  South African Wines

March 2010:  Beyond the Port of Portugal

February 2010:  Value Wines

* Sale price when noted; Lucky Star was "specially priced"

January 2010:  Sicilian Wines

See Results Prior to 2010

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This page was last updated December 13, 2011.  You are visitor since June 2005.