After a hike in Capilano gorge, Betsy and I headed over to Bill’s where a fun group was waiting. I had only met Jenise and Bob before, but everyone treated us like old friends. People brought a great assortment of food - smoked salmon blinis with caviar (from a salmon Alvin had landed himself), some salumi from Salumi in Seattle (mole, finocchiona, soppresata), fennel and citrus salad, jambon persille terrine, golden beet salad (with pretty purple sage flower garnish), and grilled flank steak salad with (wonderful) marinated mushrooms , cheese and bread. And there was wine

Blind bubbly magnum- citrusy, dry, some thought older, not the most verve but nice flavor profile. Turns out winemaker is the winemaker at Cayuse. 100% Pinot Meunier
2016 Christophe Baron “Alouettes” Champagne Brut Nature B+

Blind bubbly 750 - mine so no guessing for me, Jenise gets Blanc de Noirs right away. Pears, spice, warm bread. Always liked this wine, sad to see my last one go. 2006 Philipponnat “le Leon” Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut B+/A-

Blind white: Oily and floral, first guesses were Rhone varieties, which seemed spot on to me. Big, perfumed, hint of sweetness. Very interesting, though not a style or variety I gravitate towards, I ended up liking. (vintage?) Phantom Creek Estates Pinot Gris. B

Another one of mine. Admitting Pinot Blanc/Gouges is a bit of a curveball, so took some time to get around to it. Pear, lemon, and almonds, in a good place. 2012 Gouges La Perriere Nuits St George Blanc B+

Blind white: OK, took a LONG time to get to Chardonnay. Sweet note, red delicious apple with a waxy note, I thought Chenin. 2021 Little Engine Chardonnay B/B-

Blind white- Someone immediately said Riesling, I guessed Nahe, because I thought it could be Emrich-Schonleber Mineral, a trocken I like with similar profile (and 2nd guess was Rheinhessen thinking Keller Limestone). Pink grapefruit, orange blossom, very light petrolly note, nice length and prersistence. 2015 Dr Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr GG B++

First red . Someone immediately got PN, but I was thinking Burg as this had a nice lacy texture. Red fruits, mushroom notes. I would have never gotten BC. 2017 Blue Mountain Wild Terrain Block 9 Pinot Noir. B+/A-

Blind red- another that could be an elegant Burg, but someone got Oregon, and with hints producer. Red cherry, beets, spice and truffle. Very good. 2015 Thomas Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills)A-

Blind Red -OK, so this is Burgundy, albeit from a ripe year. I missed commune with Volnay and Chambolle guesses, but at least got vintage. Red and black cherry, sandalwood, pretty ready to go. 2009 Michel Gros “Rue de Vergy” Morey St Denis. B+/B

Blind red- I was certain this was mature Bordeaux. Cassis, black plum, cigarbox, still a touch of tannin. BC! Really! 2004 Fairview The Bear A-/B+

Blind red- Plummy, kirschy, with a bit of VA. Initial guess was ripe year St Emilion, but not France. I think we went through all of traditional Europe (and I threw in Lebanon) without getting country. 2010 Gali (Turkey) B-

My 1989 Vieux Chateau Certan was corked, a particular indignity after carrying 2500 miles.

My other wine wasn’t. Full, balanced, loaded with mint, someone immediately got old school Cali, Jenise got Phelps, Alvin Backus, Bill 1985. 1985 Phelps Backus Cabernet Sauvignon. A-

Smoky, bacon fat, seemed textbook Northern Rhone, I’m thinking Cornas but it turns out to be BC! My fave BC wine of the day, in very strong competition. 2009 Le Vieux Pin Equinoxe Syrah. A-

There was a late addition of 2003 Il Poggione Brunello di Montaclino, which I was surprised by vintage, as it didn’t seem uberripe. Nice wine

Really fun time, with really nice people. I didn’t bring my notebook and was only taking teeny notes on phone. At one point I grabbed my phone to go and talk to people at other end of table, except it was Bill’s phone! Luckily he realized it was missing and called, otherwise it could have ended up in US (well, at least elsewhere in Vancouver). I need to get a more distinctive case.

Thanks to all for making us welcome!

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

On 2023-06-02 2:03 p.m., dalewilli...@gmail.com wrote:
> After a hike in Capilano gorge, Betsy and I headed over to Bill’s where a fun group was waiting. I had only met Jenise and Bob before, but everyone treated us like old friends. People brought a great assortment of food - smoked salmon blinis with caviar (from a salmon Alvin had landed himself), some salumi from Salumi in Seattle (mole, finocchiona, soppresata), fennel and citrus salad, jambon persille terrine, golden beet salad (with pretty purple sage flower garnish), and grilled flank steak salad with (wonderful) marinated mushrooms , cheese and bread. And there was wine
>
> Blind bubbly magnum- citrusy, dry, some thought older, not the most verve but nice flavor profile. Turns out winemaker is the winemaker at Cayuse. 100% Pinot Meunier
> 2016 Christophe Baron “Alouettes” Champagne Brut Nature B+
>
> Blind bubbly 750 - mine so no guessing for me, Jenise gets Blanc de Noirs right away. Pears, spice, warm bread. Always liked this wine, sad to see my last one go. 2006 Philipponnat “le Leon” Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut B+/A-
>
> Blind white: Oily and floral, first guesses were Rhone varieties, which seemed spot on to me. Big, perfumed, hint of sweetness. Very interesting, though not a style or variety I gravitate towards, I ended up liking. (vintage?) Phantom Creek Estates Pinot Gris. B
>
> Another one of mine. Admitting Pinot Blanc/Gouges is a bit of a curveball, so took some time to get around to it. Pear, lemon, and almonds, in a good place. 2012 Gouges La Perriere Nuits St George Blanc B+
>
> Blind white: OK, took a LONG time to get to Chardonnay. Sweet note, red delicious apple with a waxy note, I thought Chenin. 2021 Little Engine Chardonnay B/B-
>
> Blind white- Someone immediately said Riesling, I guessed Nahe, because I thought it could be Emrich-Schonleber Mineral, a trocken I like with similar profile (and 2nd guess was Rheinhessen thinking Keller Limestone). Pink grapefruit, orange blossom, very light petrolly note, nice length and prersistence. 2015 Dr Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr GG B++
>
> First red . Someone immediately got PN, but I was thinking Burg as this had a nice lacy texture. Red fruits, mushroom notes. I would have never gotten BC. 2017 Blue Mountain Wild Terrain Block 9 Pinot Noir. B+/A-
>
> Blind red- another that could be an elegant Burg, but someone got Oregon, and with hints producer. Red cherry, beets, spice and truffle. Very good. 2015 Thomas Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills)A-
>
> Blind Red -OK, so this is Burgundy, albeit from a ripe year. I missed commune with Volnay and Chambolle guesses, but at least got vintage. Red and black cherry, sandalwood, pretty ready to go. 2009 Michel Gros “Rue de Vergy” Morey St Denis. B+/B
>
> Blind red- I was certain this was mature Bordeaux. Cassis, black plum, cigarbox, still a touch of tannin. BC! Really! 2004 Fairview The Bear A-/B+
>
> Blind red- Plummy, kirschy, with a bit of VA. Initial guess was ripe year St Emilion, but not France. I think we went through all of traditional Europe (and I threw in Lebanon) without getting country. 2010 Gali (Turkey) B-
>
> My 1989 Vieux Chateau Certan was corked, a particular indignity after carrying 2500 miles.
>
> My other wine wasn’t. Full, balanced, loaded with mint, someone immediately got old school Cali, Jenise got Phelps, Alvin Backus, Bill 1985. 1985 Phelps Backus Cabernet Sauvignon. A-
>
> Smoky, bacon fat, seemed textbook Northern Rhone, I’m thinking Cornas but it turns out to be BC! My fave BC wine of the day, in very strong competition. 2009 Le Vieux Pin Equinoxe Syrah. A-
>
> There was a late addition of 2003 Il Poggione Brunello di Montaclino, which I was surprised by vintage, as it didn’t seem uberripe. Nice wine
>
> Really fun time, with really nice people. I didn’t bring my notebook and was only taking teeny notes on phone. At one point I grabbed my phone to go and talk to people at other end of table, except it was Bill’s phone! Luckily he realized it was missing and called, otherwise it could have ended up in US (well, at least elsewhere in Vancouver). I need to get a more distinctive case.
>
> Thanks to all for making us welcome!
>
> Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.
>
>
Glad you liked the Blue Mountain! It's one of my favourite vineyards.
It's a pity no one brought their gamay, which the late Stephen Spurrier
of Decanter said was the best gamay he'd tasted outside Beaujolais.