By: AJ McClellan
Last night was an epic night at Graileys! We had a great tasting of California Cabernet in the back but our other members put on a show of their own in the front room…
In the back we did a single blind tasting for 14 of our members. We tasted 1992 Opus one, 1993 Shafer Hillside Select, 1994 Phelps Insignia, 1995 Spottswoode, and 1996 Peter Michael Les Pavots.
1992 Opus One – The most old world in style. Notes of fresh blue and red fruits with great minerality and subtle hints of earth and leather. This was my wine of the tasting.
1993 Shafter Hillside Select – This bottle was not showing as well as it should have. There were notes of almond and burnt rubber that were slightly off-putting, but the wine was still drinkable.
1994 Phelps Insignia – This bottle was classic in every way. Black fruit with big spice and a finish of tobacco pipe.
1995 Spottswood – A great bottle of wine. Loads of blue fruit with a spicy back and a pleasant finish of anise.
1996 Peter Michael Les Pavots – By far the biggest of the five wines and the second favorite of the group. Big black and blue fruit with liquorish and smooth cassis.
While we were in the back conducting the blind tasting the few members that were still in the front were putting on a impressive showing of their own…
1995 Pichon Lalande – A massive Pichon. You would think that after being in the bottle for 18 years this wine would have mellowed out some but it is still rather tight. Massive black fruit with tight tannins and layers of earth.
1990 Remoissenet Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses – This is one of the more impressive Remoissenet wines I have had recently. Bright red fruit with lovely earth and compost notes. After some time in the glass this wine really opened up and started to shine!
1964 Margaux – An interesting wine. The nose was, with no better word to describe it, decrepit. However, the palate was still lively with huge earthen notes and a forest of different woods and spices. After some time in the glass the wine improved some but not much.
1970 Haut Brion – Another wine that was slightly past its drinking window. There was still plenty of acid with subtle tannins and loads of earth. The fruit was dry and dusty and about ready to limp off into the sunset.
1979 Mouton – This bottle started off a little woody but opened up dramatically in the decanter. After almost two hours the wine was singing with great fruit notes and a lovely finish.
1989 Hait Brion – One of my all time favorite bottles of wine. This one was not quite as fresh as the Magnum we had a few months back but that is to be expected. Great black and red fruits with fresh tobacco, huge five spice, and a floral display that left you breathless. This is a bottle I could drink everyday for the rest of my life and never get tired of…
1990 Pichon Baron – A wonderful example of what Pichon Baron can do in a great vintage. This has long been my favorite bottle of Baron and last night’s wine was superb. More spice and wood than fruit in this wine but the overall balance was still there with the impressive earth notes bringing the whole thing into balance.
1997 Leroy Corton Charlemagne – When it comes to white wines this is one of the better ones you can get your hands on. Notes of honey, candied lemon, lime zest, lilies, almond, and limestone are all over this bottle with a balance mouthfeel that leaves you wanting more every time you swallow.
There were a good many other wines opened on the night with highlights including 1999 Leoville Poyferre, 2000 Monbousquet, 1998 Dominique Laurent Grand Echezeaux, 2000 Lynch Bages, and 1998 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues Batard Montrachet. All in all it as a great night, but you know there is nothing new with that when you are in Graileys…