Tuesday, July 30^th: Deborah and I were invited over to Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling’s for a Northern Rhône tasting, which turned out to be very special. Before sitting down we had a reception wine: Julien Pilon Hermitage Prisme Blanc 2013.

Here’s the spectacular line-up of reds that followed:

• Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot 2013
• Domaine August Clape Cornas 2010
• Chave Estate St. Joseph 2014
• Domaine Courbis St. Joseph Les Royes 2015
• Domaine Jamet Jean-P & Corinne Côte Rôtie 2013
• Domaine Jamet Côte Rôtie 2001
• Chave Hermitage L’Hermitage Estate 2011
• Chave Hermitage L’Hermitage Estate 1990

While all the wines showed well (all scoring at least 93), my top scorers were Chave Hermitage L’Hermitage Estate 2011 (98), Domaine Jamet Côte Rôtie 2001 (98) and Chave Estate St. Joseph 2014 (97).

A truly memorable night.

Friday, August 2^nd: Meg and Phil invited us around to play the Options wine game. Everyone brings a bottle and asks a series of questions that are clues to the identity of the wine served blind. The wines are poured one by one and tasted. The person who brought the wine under review gives a series of options to help you narrow your guess as to its provenance. Everyone in turn offers their answer before the second question is asked which contains the answer to the first question. I brought a bottle of Saslove Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 from Israel.

Here are option questions I offered the participants:

1. Is this an Old World or New World wine?
2. Is this New World wine from
   1. Uruguay
   2. South Africa
   3. Lebanon
   4. Israel
3. Is this Israeli wine made from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache or is it a Bordeaux-style blend?
4. Is this Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon from the Golan Heights, the Central Mountains, the Judean Foothills, or the Upper Galilee?
   5. Is this Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon from the Upper Galilee 1–8 years old, 8–16 years old or 25 years old?
5. Is this 9-year-old Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon aged in French oak, American oak, Hungarian oak or local Judean Hills oak?

My wine had a Canadian connection, since Barry Saslove was a Canadian immigrant whose daughter studied winemaking at Brock.

Phil cooked dinner – barbecued sardines and chicken.

Phil barbecuing

Also enjoyed this week: Meldville Impromptu 2021, Stonebridge Red 2019.