By AJ McClellan
Yesterday we sat around the table with a few members having some of the last wines Graileys will see for 2013. We definitely put together a stunning collection for one of the last days of 2013! Of course you must have some Champagne and the 02 Heidsieck Rare is just so good right now! The star of the show was without a doubt the Torbreck Laird with its massive fruit and seductive tannins. What a great night!
2002 Piper Heidsieck Rare – What a fun wine to drink! This 2002 Heidsieck is simply stunning right now. Voluptuous on the palate with a beautiful brioche nose and gobs of minerality on the finish. I am a big fan of this wine but slightly concerned, the bottle is drinking so forward right now that I don’t know how well it will stand up in 20 to 30 years… Oh well, it sure it great right now!
1978 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – Another fun bottle to try… The 78 was slightly oxidized giving the nose a prune like quality but this did not distract from the rich red cherry notes and substantial barnyard. I would love to have had this wine 5 years back or maybe tried it with a little better provenance.
1990 Chateau Clerc Milon – I blinded this wine as a 90’s California Pinot Noir… Total whiff… the color was a thin crimson with little bricking. The nose was a little hot but once you got past the heat there was a very pleasant earthy aroma of dried autumn leaves and moist tree bark. The palate is what threw me, again I got the heat of the alcohol and a sweet fruit note that reminded me of a well made older Cali wine. The original price tag of $24.99 was still on the bottle and for the price I must say that it was stunning.
2006 Torbreck The Laird – This wine was a real treat! Last time we tasted this wine we labeled it the “Grange Killer” as its massive fruit and well structured tannins reminded us of the beautiful wines of Penfolds Grange but on a more sophisticated level. From the Gnadenfrei Vineyard of Barossa planted in 1958 this wine is something to behold! The nose exploded of black raspberries and blueberry jam backed with dark chocolate mixed with tobacco. The palate was all encompassing coating my taste buds with lavish tannins and giving me the impression that I was swinging through a cup of black tea with giant dark fruit floaties attached. This wine is surprisingly approachable for how huge it is but I would still like to see it in 20-30 years…
1977 Gould Campbell – 1977 Ports have just started coming into their own in the past 5 years. This bottle of Gould Campbell is the youngest I have had from this house but I think it will age as fine as the 61 and 55 have. The fruit was impressive, still ripe on the palate with the entire spice cabinet thrown in for complexity. Cardamom, clove, lavender, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and bay leaves were very forward on the palate but there was also a nice hint of pepper and almond on the finish.