By: Ryan Tedder
We had another amazing night of great wine drinking last night at Graileys. This time we even had something to celebrate! It was Kelly’s birthday and we had a full house of some of our oldest and best clients. The wines got popped at a furious pace and several cheers were made. These beautiful wines above really stood out to me. The only one missing was the bottle of 1991 Domaine Leroy Chambertin that was unreal electric with bright, jazzy crushed raspberries and framboise, wood smoke, dried roses and incredible purity, power and depth. My tastes literally coated my palate and lasted for five minutes. Sweet sweet Leroy Brown!
Next on my list were the twin Dom Perignons that were drinking at their respective peaks and hopefully will stay there for a while. The 1976 Dom Perignon P3 Oenotheque was rich and layered with complexity that few wines in the world rival. AJ put it the best: Soft honeysuckle, almond, quince, pear, and brioche were all plain on the palate of the wine. The finish was extraordinarily long and showed beautiful minerality and subtle nuances of toast and a chalk. Exactly. The 1982 Dom Perignon was one of the best bottles of this prino vintage of Dom P. The wine was drinking seductively well with a vinous complexity and wonderfully balanced. The wine was super rich on the palate with toasted bread and buttery croissant character along with some nutmeg, spice, chocolate and vanilla notes. What a delight! Next we moved into 1988 Remoissenet Le Montrachet that was 100% on. Key lime pie, roasted/caramelized bosc pear, butter, spun honey, exotic white and yellow flowers, limestone and depth. Astounding for a 27 year old white! We finished with one of the best Ornellaias I have ever drank. The 1998 Ornellaia tasted like a great bottle of vintage Mondavi Reserve Cab blended with Ducru Beaucaillou – I don’t know how that sounds, but that is the closest wine comparison I can approximate. Slight dried tarragon and sage aromas that are tell-tale Bolgheri with blackberry and cherry undertones. Full-bodied, with a wonderfully silky palate of fine tannins and a long, fruity finish with some leather, tobacco and earth. Very sophisticated juice and a delight to drink. What a great night!