Good news, Champagne/Sparkling and a few treats.

I will start with the good news. Last week I was able to pass the level one sommelier certification class and test administered by the Court of Master Sommeliers. I told Katie that I felt like I over studied, but I guess that paid off since I got the highest grade in the class!
I didn't feel the test was too hard since I was pretty familiar with most of the material. It was 70 questions multiple choice pass/fail and you had to get 60% or more correct to pass, so it would seem like the odds were greatly in your favor. Yet I would say 15-25% of the people in the class didn't pass. I talked to one of my coworkers about that and she said she thought people came to the class expecting to learn everything they needed to know, which is just not the case. They do cover everything, but it is at a very quick pace, so a good background is definitely needed.
Something else that also helped me alot was my like of many of the classical areas they covered. I already knew the 5 first growths of Bordeaux, basically didn't have to study Burgundy and Germany at all, knew northern Italy, the Rhone valley, etc.
Anyway, I will be going for level 2 in about a year. I am excited for that. Lots of studying and tasting to do in the mean time.
This week I had the pleasure of tasting two really great wines thanks to a customer at work. The first was one of the first growth Bordeauxs mentioned, a 1964 Haut-Brion from magnum. I didn't take notes, but this was one of the best red wines I have ever had. Tobacco, dried leaves, wet dog (in a good way), dark red and black fruits. Great depth, and I could literally taste it minutes later. I will have to rate it a 93-94.
The owner of the bottle said he felt it was on the way out, and that 750mL bottles of the same he had in the past few years were much better.
The other was a 2004 j.f. Coche-Dury Meursault. He is one of the few consistently high quality white wine producers in Burgundy, and his wines are expensive. Even this bottle with a basic village ac will set you back 200 or more. Great nose, steely crushed rock minerality, toasted hazelnut, honey, white flowers. Amazing depth. 91.
The week before I bought a few different sparkling wines to try. The first I had heard good things about and was looking forward to.
NV Gruet Brut Methode Champenoise (from 375mL).
c- light yellow.
a- toast, flowers, marble.
f- light honey, some minerality. light body, short finish. not much else...
84
NV Nicholas Feuillatte Brut Rose 12% abv (from 750mL).
c- pink to salmon.
a- strawberry, tart apple, yeast.
f- strawberry with red apple more predominate. light but steely minerality. m body with a m+ finish. really pretty good.
90-91
NV Taittinger Brut La Francaise 12% abv (from 375mL).
c- gold.
a- toast, apple, soft pretzel.
f- caramel with secondary flavors developing. mineral. m finish and m+ body.
87
The least expensive here was the Gruet, and that would be a good everyday drinker, or something to get for parties on a budget. I got the Taittinger in a half bottle so it was relatively affordable, but in a full bottle the Feuillatte would be less expensive and I found it to be better. That would be my pick of the litter this time around.

Cabernet Sauvignon.

This time around I was on to Cabernets. I tasted one French vs. two American examples.
2005 Christian Moueix "Medoc" 13.5% abv
c- garnet to orange edges.
a- cassis, gravel, clay, oak. blackberry, bell pepper?
f- m body, m+ finish. plum, dark fruits, berry, cinnamon?
87
2008 Ghost Pines Cabernet 13.9% abv
c- purple black.
a- cassis, dark fruit, plum, blackberry, oak.
f- confirms. full- body, medium+ finish. fruity and berry. some tannin, good but simple.
87
2005 Jordan Cabernet Alexander Valley 13.5% abv
c- dark ruby black to garnet edges.
a- earth, cassis, bell pepper, dark fruits.
f- touch oak, nice acid. full mouth, long- finish. very good. confirms aroma.
90-91
My favorite was the Jordan, but this will be the most expensive. I got a great deal and paid 33 a bottle, but I think you'll see it more around 50. It is different from alot of Cali cabs in that it seems to be more earth driven and less obviously fruity.
As far as value, the Moueix 'Medoc' while obviously a product of marketing, wasn't bad for the price (12), as well as the Ghost Pines (20ish). Of those two, I suppose I would have to give the nod to the Medoc.

I'm not drinking any fucking Merlot. Oh wait...

I'll start you off with an infamous scene from the great movie Sideways. Though this was a work of fiction, it actually (this line in particular) had an effect on the wine industry. Sales of Merlot went down, and sales of Pinot Noir (Miles' favorite) went up.
Merlot has its historic home in Bordeaux. Here it is used in smaller proportions in left bank wines (west of the river Gironde) and in general, is the main constituent of right bank wines. Of course, these days it is grown all over the place.
2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Estates Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 14.5% abv
c- dark purple.
a- (can't read some of my writing), dark fruit, oak.
f- confirms with oak more present. smoother and softer mouthfeel. full body, long finish with notes of chocolate.
87
2006 Burgess Napa Valley Merlot 14.4% abv.
c- purple to ruby at edges.
a- gravel to slate? earthier, dark fruits, a little hot, oak, campfire.
f- earth, depth. full- body, m+ finish. some oak, darker fruits.
88
2007 Souverain Merlot Alexander Valley 14.5% abv.
c- purple.
a- cassis, dark fruit, dry earth.
f- deep. full body, long finish, dark fruits, light oak influence. pretty good.
89
My favorite here was the Souverain which was also the least expensive. Again, all of these were under twenty dollars, and I think they were all good enough that I would buy them again, though I am not a big Merlot drinker. I don't hate it like Miles, but it's not something I would normally pick if left to my own devices.