Snooth Talk: Critique My Serving Sequence

Wine Talk

: Critique My Serving Sequence; Posted by chadrich, Oct 30.; A friend's birthday dinner tonight at a steakhouse. A couple of us are bringing the wines and I'm trying to figure out the best order to pour them. I know conventional logic would say to stick with one or two varietals, but we choose to defy conventional logic. (We did stick to California, with one Aussie thrown in.) So here's what I'm thinking, but please feel free to tell me where you disagree.

Iron Horse Thomas Road Pinot Noir
Turley Zinfandel (I don't know which one)
Turley Charbono
Clarendon Hills Baker's Gully Shiraz
Vincent Arroyo Rattlesnake Ridge Petite Sirah
Elizabeth Spencer Rutherford Cab Sauv

I think I'm most second-guessing myself on the Shiraz to Petite Sirah progression.
Oh, and yes, there are quite a few folks attending, so we're not drinking this among just 4 of us (unfortunately).

2517 1738: Reply by Gregory Dal Piaz, Oct 30.; Ok, sort of tough.

Starting with the Pinot makes sense.

The Elizabeth Spenser cab is a rather restrained style and the odd man out among the remaining bottles so I would be tempted to slide it in next.

I would follow that with the Clarenden Hills, then the Petite Sirah before moving on to the Turleys.

While I would prefer to move from Petite to Charbono, a lot of similarites, this would be the best spot for the Cabernet. The preceeding wines were really not much bigger and will highlight the complexities of this wine.

The Charbono, Turleys best wine in my opinion, is going to be more restrained than the zin so serve that first but both are likely to have the highest alcohols of the night.

With so many different wines it's a challenge with no correct answer but I basically put the wines in a progression of power, weight, and intensity of fruit.

I'm sure you all will enjoy each bottle to it's fullest regardless of the order so have a blast and let us know how it goes!

8 70: Reply by chadrich, Oct 30.; Thanks Greg! It's funny, I've had the Elizibeth Spencer on and off the counter about 4 times. So I think I agree with your odd man out comment. Maybe it will stay home and, if necessary, we'll order a bottle of cab off the restaurant's list in hopes of getting some forgiveness points on corkage fees.

10 1135: Reply by dmcker, Oct 30.; Yeah, I, too, thought the Rutherford Cab would've been blasted into oblivion at that point in the order. Also would place the Turleys last. Am curious, though. Do you guys never start with a white of some sort to get the juices flowing and the mouth more ready for the first red?

8 70: Reply by chadrich, Oct 30.; Left to my own devices, I would. But the birthday honoree and the other wine-bringer usually look at me like I grew a 3rd eyeball when I suggest that. So I'm deferring to the will of the group on that point. Plus there will probably be time for a gin and tonic or glass of something at the bar while waiting for the table, so that will be my warm-up opportunity.
Thanks for reconfirming moving the Turley and giving the Spencer the night off.

8 70: Reply by chadrich, Nov 2.; Okay, reporting back. As things do when multiple people are involved, the wine line-up took a few turns from what I had been expecting. Here was the run-down, serving order, and a few comments until I have time to write-up more formal tasting notes:

1999 Nuits St. George (didn't get specific producer info)-while ready to drink, I was also surprised this wine still seemed as young as it did, exhibiting no noticable color degradation at all. Very smoky on the nose with nice balance and smooth tannins

2005 Iron Horse Thomas Road Pinot Noir-enjoyable but perhaps not as lush and full as I expected due to the point scores and stature of this bottle within the IH line-up

2006(?) Adelaida Zinfandel-great wine, didn't exhibit any of the notable alcohol or hotness that many people disdain in zins. But was rich and round without being overly jammy

2004 Mondavi Reserve Cab Sauv-always a great bottle of wine, this one was no exception. Decanted for about 45 minutes before pouring

2005(?) Vincent Arroyo Rattlesnake Acres Petite Sirah-also decanted for 45 minutes. Very enjoyable wine, though not as rich and robust as I expected for both a PS and for the higher end bottling from this producer

2005 Turley Charbono-went home with the birthday honoree as we didn't have it in us to kill-off another bottle (sad, I know)

Thanks for the advice and interest in my "plight".

10 1135: Reply by dmcker, Nov 2.; Wines do present differently when following wines of other varietal and style than they might on their own or in more similar company. I assume they weren't all with the steak, either...

10 1135: Reply by dmcker, Nov 2.; And depending on the actual maker, 1999 isn't all that long ago for a Nuits St. George.

8 70: Reply by chadrich, Nov 2.; You are correct on all counts. That's why I was so concerned about my sequencing. I've had cases where a wine that I know to be outstanding doesn't show well because of what came before it. Not that what came first was necessarily better, just that the palate shift reflects badly on the later wine.
The first 3 were served prior to red meat, as folks gathered had appetizers, etc. The last 2 were primarily with the steak. That's what surprised me most about the Petite; I thought I had it tee'd-up perfectly, in the right sequence, at the right time, with the right food.