AJ McClellan
1994 Beaucastel Homage a Jacques Perrin – This was my first time trying the 100% Grenache by Beaucastel, and it was truly a unique wine. You might think I’m crazy but the first thing I got when I stuck my nose in the glass was a mouthful of honey roasted cheerios followed by roasted fig, sweet honey, wheat, dried violets, gravel, and roasted blueberries. The palate was soft but full of flavor with a great finish of dusty soil. This was a truly unique wine the likes of which I have never experienced before.
1977 Penfolds Grange – After the Old World extravaganza it was time to try a legend from the New World, and how did the Grange hold up against the competition you might ask? After letting it sit in my glass for quite some time this bad boy to open up to a brilliant presentation of fruit and floral decadence. Baked cherry spice pie with cinnamon, dill, coconut, and big vanilla up front. As always the Grange gave off a subtle floral display of mint and eucalyptus with peppermint, pine needles, big plum, fig, cedar, and dry dusty rock face. Big in the mouth but with an acidity that was surprising for a wine from down under.
1990 Meo Camuzet Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru –The nose is full of nutmeg, spice, vanilla, ginger, with a hint of dill. On the first sip the palate explodes with big red chewing gum big cinnamon and nutmeg coating the entirety of my mouth. After chewing through the spice you make it to an elegant cranberry and red liquorish with a slight hint of what seems to be crushed autumn leaves combined with the scent of soft mud and muscular fruit blend perfectly and melt in the mouth. With a finish that lasts for ages this is a brilliant wine!
1959 Latour – The 1990 Meo Camuzet was brilliant and from there I could not think of a better place to go. That is until one of our members decided he wanted old Bordeaux. I opened the 59 ever so carefully holding my breath hoping that this bottle would have survived its 50 year trek to our table intact. I popped the cork and poured a taste, stewed cranberries, burnt toffee, roasted coffee, cigar box, dry black currant, dry plum, roasted meats, and a stony minerality all on the sniff. I had to take a moment to dissect what I had just experienced and another moment to put it into words. After tasting this wine I was in heaven with a finish lasting as long as I could wait to take another sip of wine and a complexity that could take Socrates a lifetime to unwind.
1989 Rieussec – We celebrated the 59 Latour with a delicious bottle of Sauternes. Apricot, honey blossoms, light caramel, orange rind, honeysuckle, candied pear, lemon rind, and orange sorbet. Need I say more? This was the perfect end to a great night!