Meritage dinner @ The Boston Wine Festival

    Friday night my wife and I had the pleasure of attending the Meritage Madness dinner as part of Chef Daniel Bruces' Boston Wine Festival dinner series, info here.  Eight different Bordeaux blends from Napa and Sonoma were served blind two at a time with four specially inspired and created dishes by Chef Daniel Bruce. Each wine inspired and matched a different aspect of the dish we were told. The wines and the food were both outstanding. Below are my notes on the wines.

                       FLIGHT 1

Wine #1.   Expressive nose of bright red and black fruits, toasty oak, cocoa. Medium plus body, cherry, cassis, vanilla and bitter chocolate. Moderate tannins and long finish. 90pts.
black
Wine #2.  Expressive nose of black fruits, more earthy than wine 1 with spice and herbs. Denser palate of black cherry, blackberry, herbs and a long smooth spicy finish. 92pts.

   Served with

Dry Rubbed Seared Yellow Fin Tuna

Fava Beans, Garbanzos, Red Pearl Onions.

FLIGHT 2

Wine #3. Expressive nose black and blue fruits, licorice, and earth. Medium plus body of blackberry, cocoa, leather and red flowers. Noticeable tannins. 90pts.

Wine #4. Moderate nose of black raspberry, cherry, thyme and tobacco. Medium body of black fruits, dusty earth and some licorice. Medium finish. 88pts.

   Served with

Slow cooked Duck and Thyme Tortello

Chestnut Sauce and Meritage Syrup

FLIGHT 3

Wine #5. Big nose of blackberry, currants, vanilla, violets, earth and pipe tobacco. Medium plus, rich wine with blackberry, kirsch, cocoa and tobacco notes. Long silky finish. 94pts.

Wine #6. Remarkably similar nose and palate to wine #5, a slight bit earthier and lighter so the oak is not as noticeable, although the oak in wine #5 is in balance and not dominant. 93pts.

    Served with

Five Spice Rubbed Roast Lamb Sirloin

German Butterball Potatoes and Spigarello Greens

FLIGHT 4

Wine #7. Expressive nose of blackberry, plums, spices and toasted coconut. Plush wine with creme de cassis, black cherry, white pepper, and espresso. Fine tannins and long finish. 94pts.

Wine #8. Moderate nose of black fruits, earth, and some off putting onion notes that slowly dissipated with time but never completely went away. Medium body of black currants, tart cherry, and spice. Medium light astringent finish. Possible sulfer flaw? NR.

   Served with

Parmesan and Cheddar Souffle

Wild Mushrooms and Shaved Speck.

     There was a loose vote taken after all the wines were served and my best guess would be this order

#1 Wine 5   2009 Joseph Phelps Insignia

#2  Wine 6  2009 Quintessa

#3 Wine 7  2008 Miner The Oracle

#4 Wine 2  2007 H.D.V. Belle Cousine

#5 Wine 1  2008 Chimney Rock Elevage

#6 Wine 3  2003 Viader Estate Red

#7 Wine 4  2009 Page Proprietary Blend

#8 Wine 8  2009 Peter Michael Les Pavots

Rankings 2-6 could possibly be in any order, that is how close they were, wines 4 and 8 may not have received any votes.