By: Ryan Tedder
Every day of the week at Graileys can turn into an orgy of fine wine, great company and fun times! This last Friday was no different. We saw an old friend that had not been in for some time and Simon started pulling out some big guns! We had some 1987 Petrus that was spot on singing in every way! This Merlot was majestic at 27 years of age from an unrenowned vintage. I would put it on par with the 85 and 88 that I have drank but slightly below the 82 and 89. The extreme generosity showed by the gentleman that opened it was not lost on the group. The wine was elegant but generous in flavor with extremely refined tannins and the aged smells of Pomerol: wet earth, pipe tobacco, dried violets, leather, dry blackberries, cocoa, and truffle. It was the last wine of the night and by far the best in my opinion. That is not to say the other weren’t fantastic as well, but this was a heady and ethereal wine of character.
The first wine of the night was a magnum of Sine Qua Non Five Shooter Syrah 2010 that I like to call “The Pink”. This opulent wine is a blend with a little bit of Grenache and Viognier. Every bottle of SQN is superlative and this lavish and layered wine was no different. Some of my favorite wines in the world to drink. Next was a bottle of 1991 Vega Sicilia Unico that was drinking wonderfully well. The nose had coconut cream pie, sweet vanilla notes intertwined with black currants, cherry liqueur, flowers, spice box, and tobacco leaves. A wonderful wine that was the perfect expression of Unico. We finished by killing a baby of a Barolo that is always a favorite of mine! The 2010 Gaja Sperss Barolo was young but strikingly rich, layered, exotic and old school. This wine was replete with menthol, spice, truffle, wet forest, cassis, red plum, cherry liqueur, wild raspberries, and anise. The tannins are noble but a touch “Nebbiolo-ey” that would definitely soften and develop with 5-30 years in the cellar. The finish was extremely long and this wine might be the best Sperss I have had since the 2000. A damn good Barolo for sure!
Other Great wines from the night Include:
2012 Perfect Season Cab – 2 Bottles – It rocks!
1996 Chateau Prats St. Estephe
2000 Gruaud Larose
2003 Vilmart Couer de Cuvee
2009 Chartogne Taillet Les Barres
NV Jose Dhondt Blanc de Blancs – 2 Bottles – It Rocks!
NV Ruinart Rose
2010 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon
2012 EnRoute Pinot Noir
1995 Allegrini Amarone
1987 Stags Leap SLV Cab
Great times as always!!