Welcome to our first “Friday Night Flights”!
How it works:
The flight is randomly picked from a set (5 or so) of pairs of wines. I’ve chosen the pairs to be comparable on varietal and price (so that I’m not comparing apples to oranges) and then the wines are tasted blind. I’ll describe them and offer a few comparisons and then reveal them on the next page. In the future we’ll also discuss the food we paired the wines with.
So… on to the flight…
Wine A
The first wine presents a pale ruby color. It’s rather translucent, but a lovely color.
On the nose, Wine A is totally fragrant with notes of red cherry, raspberry, blackberry and vanilla, with a definite floral overtone. It is clearly oaked, with aromas of vanilla and baking spices. I detected notes of forest floor as well…
The palate presents red cherries, raspberries, and vanilla, with light tannins and high acid. The finish isn’t long, but the overall impression is lovely, with nice balance between the fruit and acid. I was impressed by this wine… it’s lovely.
This is clearly a Pinot Noir.
Wine B
Wine B is ruby as well, but is darker.
The nose on Wine B is also darker, with black cherries, red plum, and blueberry. But there is also a strong hint of white pepper and tobacco as well as meat. This wine is more substantial on the nose.
The palate is similar to the nose, with black cherries, tobacco, and plums.
In contrast to Wine A, Wine B is definitely more tannic, but with decent acid and more body. Its finish is also a bit longer. Again, clearly a Pinot Noir.
Wine B probably has more potential age (maybe 3-5 years) compared to Wine A, which should be drunk relatively young.
