By: AJ McClellan
Friday night was another good one at Graileys. We had some killer bottles of Bordeaux with a few tasty Cali Cabs thrown in the mix. All in all it was a great night with some fun wines…
1995 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon – This is a great bottle of Cali Cab. The nose was still ripe with sweet black fruits. On the palate I got subtle cooking spice with great fruit and a long finish.
2005 Henri Gouges Nuits st Georges Les Pruliers – This was an interesting bottle. The nose was shut down giving off nothing at all while the palate was quite tasty. It would have been nice to see how this wine opened with sometime in the glass but it was so good that I finished the wine before it had much more than an hour…
NV Gonet Medeville Rose – I love this wine. For the price it is hard to find a better bottle of Rose out there. The nose was strawberries and a touch of yeast. The palate was light and creamy with great fruit and brilliant minerality.
2008 Continuum Cabernet Sauvignon – I feel like this bottle has shut down a little since the last time I tasted it. When the 08 came out, I was very impressed, but right now it is not giving off as much as I would like. Let this bottle sit for another 6 months to see if it will come around….
1988 La Mission Haut Brion – A brilliant example of Bordeaux. The nose was earthy with tilled compost, dry leaves, and a rocky minerality. The tannins on the palate were still prevalent but with a velvety edge to them. A wonderful finish of currants and black cherries finished off this wine nicely.
2000 Pierre Peters Les Chetillons – This bottle gets better and better every time I taste it. The wine was full of peach, pear, and lemon with limestone minerality and a sourdough finish.
2008 Keplinger Syrah – A big beefy wine that sat in the decanter for a good three hours before it was approachable. The nose was boisterous showing black fruits and cedar. The wine was inky in the glass and thick on the palate. A good bottle of wine, but in need of some serious bottle age.
1982 Leoville Barton – The nose was showing old dried fruits with a pleasant earthy backing and hints of cooking spice. The palate was soft and very approachable with classic old Bordeaux notes and a long finish.
1978 Las Cases – This bottle was drinking very well. 78 was not the best vintage in Bordeaux but you wouldn’t think it drinking this bottle. The nose showed old earth and dry red fruits. The palate was delicate and complex with a great back end.
1996 Le Bon Pasteur – I was pleasantly surprised by this bottle. The nose was still young with ripe fruits and subtle earth. The wine was soft on the palate, drinking well for a younger Bordeaux.
1998 Guigal Cote Rotie – This bottle was great! The nose was earthy with leather and smoke and black fruits on the back end. The palate was drinking very well with firm velvety tannins and plush fruit.