By: AJ McClellan
Friday was another great night at Graileys! We had the chance to revisit a few of the incredible wines we have had recently and we also got the chance to taste some new incredible wines. The 98 Grange is a real treat and one of the better bottles I have had out of Australia. The real treat of the night was the 87 Petrus which was my wine of the night, although it was a close running between it and the Grange.
1998 Penfolds Grange – This is the Third time I have had the opportunity to taste this wine in the past few weeks. After drinking so much Burgundy the Grange shows marvelous consistency with each bottle we open being the exact same as the last. Big Smoke, with burnt rubber, eucalyptus, black berries, spicebox, and leather showed with exuberance on the nose and palate. A great bottle but I would like to see it with another 10+ years in the bottle.
1987 Petrus – This wine received 87 points from Robert Parker, last tasted in 1993. I think the 87 is in a prime drinking window right now as the tannins have softened to the point of being akin to silk. The palate has come together and is showing great notes of blackberry, calf leather, cigar smoke, and elderberry with a slight green note of cut grass on the finish.
1996 Cos d’Estournel – I have been very impressed with the 1996 vintage as a whole from the left bank. The wines are drinking great right now and I think they will continue to do so for the next 10-15 years. The 96 Cos was in a beautiful place with vibrant blue and black fruit followed by clean compost and forest floor.
2005 Amuse Bouche – This bottle continues to amaze me. For a Merlot dominate blend it is a absolute monster in the glass. Huge tannins with black fruit and big baking spice with cedar and liquorish. A fin bottle of wine but one that I feel needs some more time to mature.
1996 Jaboulet La Chapelle – The La Chapelle started off slow but ramped up after almost two hours in the glass. Smoked beef jerky with barnyard funk and tanned leather. Classic Hermitage.
2000 Alban Vineyards Reva Syrah – Wow, what a massive wine! The embodiment of squid ink in the glass with tannins more massive than a led zeppelin, this wine was a little too massive for my taste… I will say this much for it, the fruit was very ripe and delicious and while the tannins and alcohol were huge the wine somehow managed to stay in balance…
1975 Leoville Poyferre – This wine was shot. I think it is past its prime and will only be good for vinaigrette or cooking…