By: AJ McClellan
Yesterday was one of those random Graileys days. Nothing going on but for some reason everyone showed up. We had a full house and the wines were flowing freely and with such highlights as Harlan, Colgin, Quintarelli, and Guigal, you know it was a good night!!
1970 l’Angelus – At first, I thought this might stewed, but we talked about it and could not decide if the bottle had seen heat or if it was just at the end of its life…. anyway, the bottle was dead…
1955 Grand Mayne – This was my second time to try this wine and I must say that it was much better this time around. Old earth and a four foot high pile of cow and horse dung stored in an old broken down shack would describe this bottle adequately…
2006 Bodega Chacra Cincuenta Y Cinco – This bottle impresses every time I open it. Still big on the palate it shows smooth black fruits with a long finish and great balance.
2006 Bodega Chacra Treinta Y Dos – The older brother of the Cincuenta Y Cinco with the vines planted in 1932. I like this bottle a lot; however, I feel that the Cincuenta Y Cinco is drinking better right now. I hope that in time the Treinta Y Dos will pull it together and outperform its brother.
1989 Armond Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin 1er – This bottle was drinking like a champ out of the gate with a dusty red cherry nose and a hint of earth and dried flowers. The palate was soft and in a great drinking window with great balance and a pleasant finish.
1992 Alain Burguet Gevrey Chambertin VV – This bottle was a little thin when we first opened it, showing some petite red fruits and light earth notes. Towards the end of the night I re-visited the wine and was blown away. The wine had filled out putting on an earthy weight and rounding the edges with soft black and red fruits accompanied by cooking spices and a slight floral note.
NV Egly Ouriet Blanc de Noirs GC – This bottle, while being a non-vintage, was kept by one of our members in their cellar for almost 7 years before being opened yesterday. The nose had a distinct note of wheat, sourdough bread, and caramelized pears. The palate was pleasant with just the right amount of bubbles and a long tingly finish.
1998 Quintarelli Amarone – Wow! This was my second time to try Quintarelli and I was very impressed! The nose sung of autumn with dried leaves, clean forest floor, dried cherry preserves, and warm apple pie spices. The palate was a dazzling array of complexities starting with dried and sweet fruits and moving on to a dry dusty floral component and last ending with a flourish of earth.
1996 Guigal La Turque – Guigal always impresses showing leather, tar, tobacco, and smoke. This bottle was stunning, as Guigal always is….
1997 Salon – This bottle of Salon has come a long way in the several months since I last tasted it. The effervescence has mellowed and the acidity has integrated nicely into the rest of the wine. White peach, pear, lemon, and limestone on the nose and palate.
2004 Harlan – This big boy needs to sit on the rack for a few more years. The nose was very nice showing black plums, cherries, and currants. There was a slight backing of leather and tobacco. While the nose was beautiful the palate was harsh and crass with huge tannins and overwhelming alcohol. I think this will be a great bottle in time but it has a ways to go.
1994 Colgin Herb Lamb – This is what Cali Cab should be. Sweet blue and red fruits with wonderful sweet leaf tobacco and a finish of cooking spice. The palate was an iron fist in a velvet glove hitting you with pungent fruit and flower notes and hard hitting tannins but finishing with such finesse that you could not help but to take another drink.
2006 Amuse Bouche – More akin to the Harlan than the Colgin, the Amuse Bouche was still tight and tannins but with great potential. More flowery and with more blue fruits than the Harlan, but I attribute that to the Merlot.
1997 Chapoutier Le Meal Ermitage – This bottle was showing well with dry dusty fruits and a very nice earthy finish.