AWS Cincinnati Wine Tasting

Dean Mitchell was very kind in his write-up of last Saturday's wine tasting for the American Wine Society Cincinnati Chapter. The theme was Washington Reds. My favorites were the 2002 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee (Overall), the 2002 Columbia Crest Grand Estate Merlot (Best Value), and the 2002 Hedges Red Mountain Two Vineyards Reserve (the Best Wine I Would Like to Revisit in Five Years). That last category I just made up.

What was also very interesting for me was tasting the 2000 Columbia Winery Syrah. When first opened I thought it was flawed and would have dumped it out as a "bad" bottle. Thirty minutes later it was quite good! Who knew! I guess patience does pay sometimes.

The last bottle of the night was the 1970 Chateau Giscours Margaux which was given to me by a friend who found it in the cellar when he bought his house. The story is that the previous owner had abandoned a bunch of his Bordeaux's when the furnace went out and the wines were "ruined". Despite the rough treatment and 35 years of age, there was some life in this bottle, albeit faint. It was a treat for all to taste. There are a few more survivors which I look forward to sampling.