By: AJ McClellan
We had former NFL Quarterback Drew Bledsoe in from Doubleback to taste us on his 2008 and 2009 release. The wines were excellent and although Drew was a little under the weather he stuck in there like a trooper to help explain his passion for wines to our members. After the Doubleback tasting, in true Graileys fashion, our members popped a load of great bottles for the table…
2008 Doubleback – Soft red and black fruit with hints of cooking spice and bakers chocolate.
2009 Doubleback – The 09 was much tighter than the 08 but still showing well with big ripe fruit and a touch of clove on the back end.
1990 Camille Giroud Echezeaux GC – This wine started out suspect but with some air the wine opened up beautifully. The nose was showing deep red currants and bright red cherries with a big barnyard backing. The palate was old and rusty with notes of iron and dried red fruits.
1981 Pichon Baron – An old dirty bottle. The nose was compost and barnyard with horse hide and old gym socks. The palate gave up some fruit but it was mostly earth and funk. A very night bottle but not one for New World wine drinkers….
1998 Solaia – This may have been my wine of the night. The nose was beautiful with hints of crushed dry leaves and tilled earth. There was a subtle dusty cherry on the palate with floral notes of dried rose petals and lavender.
2005 Araujo – The Araujo was drinking like a champ with big juicy red fruits and a well balanced back end that makes me think this wine has a long life ahead of it.
1978 Remoissenet Volney Clos des Chenes – The Remoissenet wines are a pleasure to drink. The Clos des Chenes was showing some interesting smoke notes on the nose with black and red cherries and a powerful spice component. The palate was well balanced with smooth tannins and a long finish.
1994 Guigal La Turque – As always the Guigal was outstanding. Classic tar, leather, smoke, and herbal notes on the nose. The palate had all that and more with rich tannins and a outstanding finish.
1992 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill – This bottle was very impressive to me. The nose was silk in a glass with a soft caress of cassis and black cherry followed by a kiss of lilac and a subtle touch of blueberry and plum. The palate was just as amazing with light to medium tannins that did just enough to hold the wine together in an impeccable balance but without giving any abrasion, like a perfect sphere with no rough edges or flaws.
1999 Domique Laurent Mazi Chambertin GC – I have been very impressed with the Laurent wines that we have opened recently. True, they are a little heavy in the oaking processes and not as classic as some producers, but I feel that while the oak is more prevalent than some Laurent has done an excellent job of keeping the balance of the wine. Give this wine an hour to breath and you are off to the races.
1994 Silver Oak Alexander Cabernet Sauvignon – This bottle was unfortunately horribly corked, luckily a couple of our members sniffed the flawed wine out immediately though and spared us form serving it… Good job guys…