AJ McClellan
When Dave comes into town you know it is going to be a good time! We pulled out some great bottles and had some great fun!
8th bottling of Abacus – Burnt vanilla and toasted caramel were my first impression on the nose but there was something there that I could not quite put my finger on. After finding some candied blueberries and sugary vanilla beans I realized what I was missing – you know the burnt crumbs that collect at the bottom of a toaster? Yah the Abacus had some of that going on. With that burden off of my mind I proceeded to taste the wine. Plum, burnt popcorn and a slightly oxidized style with a finish that reminded me of a grassy knoll. This is an incredibly interesting wine.
1999 Tertre Roteboeuf St Emilion – A gear change from the Abacus. The nose was one of sour cherries situated on top of a pile of compost with a subtle minerality. Very easy drinking with smooth tannins and a pleasant finish.
1996 Guigal La Mouline Cote Rote – I know I say this every time but I just can’t help it, Guigal is one of the most consistent high quality producers of wine that I have had the pleasure to experience. This particular Guigal lead off with dirt covered roasted plums dipped in smoked bacon fat. There was a steely minerality of iron rebar with tannins firm as steel and a finish of tobacco and bay leaf.
1978 Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage – If I was stuck on a desert island with only one wine to drink this wine could possibly be the wine that I would pick. Smoked beef and game with a spicy vanilla and cooked plum on the nose. After allowing the wine to open up for three hours I finally brought myself to stop smelling the wine and take a sip – pure ecstasy. Incredibly lively on the palate with a zingy acidity that makes you wanna stand up and dance. Savory herbs of thyme and caraway carry you away to a happy place and a lingering finish will keep you in a daze for quite some time.
1970 Ducru Beaucaillou St Julien – Immediately on opening this bottle I could tell it was going to be a gooden. After smelling the wine Simon almost fell off his chair. Loads of minerality with a slight nuttiness of roasted almonds; fantastic baked cherries and spice plum finish.
1986 Latour Pauillac – Brilliant wine with a wet rock gravely minerality and a floral nose of dried roses. The palate was full of scrumptious ripe currants and with a small hint of cedar, spice, and pepper. The tannins were fine and well developed a classic 1st growth Bordeaux. The finish was one of walnuts and slight tar.
1983 Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage Magnum - Leather and red flowers with stewed red currant and forest floor on the nose. The palate opened up to deliver a great funk and must with compost and blood. Then the wine finished with a dried plum and beef jerky. Great wine that surprisingly gave the 1978 a run for its money.
1987 Col D’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino – What I thought was going to be a great wine turned out to be a dud with tired floppy tannins and stewed soggy fruits. The wine was solid but it was just past its prime, too bad…
1996 Rubicon – After all the old world wines it was time to get some new world in the mix. The Rubicon shot out of the gate with a massive black fruits of currant and cherry. The tannins were still immense with a subtle back of eucalyptus, coffee bean, and liquorish. A excellent wine with a long finish and potential to age for another 5-10 years.
1983 LA Lagune Haut Medoc – A graceful wine with a nose of plum and roasted nuts with a slight funk lingering in the background. I love this wine for its pure drinkability. Tannins of silk and a smooth finish. This wine is in its prime and should be consumed now rather than later.
1997 Biale Robert Biale Vineyard Zinfandel – Jammy ripe red fruits with black pepper and a spicy undertone on the nose. The palate is a classic Zin with all the pepper and spice one would expect. Firm but well developed tannins and a lingering plum finish.
2004 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova Brunello di Montalcino – Thick cherry cough syrup, bacon fat, and a potpourri of dried flowers on the nose. Red raspberry explodes on the palate with candy cherry on the back. A subtle earthiness with white truffles and a touch of dried violets and dark red roses. Classic light nut skin twang and a long finish complete this wine. Bold silky tannins and a crisp acidity bring this wine to life.
2008 Relic Ritual 46% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, 18% Syrah, 6% Petite Sirah – Big nose of purple flowers and sage with ripe plum and bramble berries. Soft tannins with a touch of earth but not a lot, very silky on the finish.
1977 Grahams – We had to finish with a little of port. The Grahams was soft and easy going down with dried currants and red raspberries as well as tar earth and leather dried tobacco and chewy chocolate.
After the dust had settled we took a moment to look over the wreckage we had caused and the pile of bottles that lay empty. We had done good, if Dave remembers this night he will be proud.