Last week was a strong week at Graileys. We kicked off the week with an exclusive Krug Champagne dinner, followed by an intimate sommelier Krug tasting with the one and only: Olivier Krug. How do we even go on after two back-to-back days of Krug?! Well we did just that, the Graileys way, with “a bottle of white (and) a bottle of red”.
We started with the 2012 Aile d’Argent- Chateau Mouton Rothschild’s white wine. When we tasted this wine, we were all blown away with the richness and balance of the First Growth’s white. It had a great mouth-coating texture filled with exotic fruits, ripe pineapple, guava and golden kiwi along with luscious white flowers and a spicy nuance of candied ginger and orange zest. We usually open the greatest reds of Bordeaux, so to open a bottle of Mouton’s blanc was an appropriate and delicious addition to the Bordeaux rouge we had this night.
The last bottle of the bright was also the best: the 1990 Chateau Palmer! Bordeaux’s finest flavors were perfectly expressed in this bottle as intricate layers of forest floor and deeply preserved black and blue fruits seamlessly mingled with a plethora of spices and sweet licorice. To add the cherry on top, there was a very voluptuous texture that aided in its extended finish; this Third Growth was absolutely seductive! Loads of deep, dried cherry, hints of coffee and truffle are just a few of my favorite things that were all in this glass. I just couldn’t get enough. 
Other Great Bottles of the Night…
2011 Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay Napa Valley
NV H. Billiot Fils Brut Rose Champagne Grand Cru Ambonnay
2002 Lanson Brut Vintage Gold Label Champagne
2012 Georges Noellat Vosne Romanee
1999 Kalin ‘Cuvee DD’ Pinot Noir Sonoma County
2011 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Dairyman Vineyards RRV
2005 Chateau Quinault l’Enclos St. Emilion Grand Cru
2005 Chateau Canon-la Gaffelier St. Emilion Grand Cru Classe
1982 Chateau Calon Segur
2000 Chateau Cos d’Estrournel
1995 E. Guigal ‘Brune & Blonde de Guigal’ Cote Rotie
2006 Cupano Brunello di Montalcino
2011 Keenan 35th Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
2011 Lillian ‘Gold Series No. 1’ Syrah
2012 Bevan Cellars ‘Ontogeny’ Proprietary Red
2012 Pahlmeyer Merlot Napa Valley
2011 Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River