AJ McClellan
I have learned that there is no such thing as a slow day in Graileys. Take Monday as an example. The day started innocently enough with a small Burgundian wine tasting with Peter Wasserman.
2008 Becky Wasserman Marsannay – Very light wine with a dainty nose of ripe strawberries and red cherries. The palate was very crisp and lively with an almost tart cherry playing on the back and a very subtle earth note on the finish.
2007 Lignier-Michelot Morey St Denis – Great Burgundy with earthy overtones on the nose followed by a slate and limestone minerality and sour watermelon on the palate. There was a pleasant wood spice on the back with a medium body and light tannins; the acidity was crisp and the finish of red juicy cherries was great.
After our appetizer the members started rolling in and the main course started
NV Godme Champagne – This wine reminds me of sparkling pear cider with a dash of green apple extract and apricots. There was a pleasant chalky minerality to the wine and the effervescence was enough to tingle my nose but not make me sneeze. With a slight yeast finish this is a killer grower Champagne.
2000 Bouchard Montrachet – This was my first time to try a wine from the prestigious Montrachet Vineyard and boy did it leave an impression! Immediately on opening the wine I got a sense of key lime pie and blooming honeysuckles with toasty popcorn lingering in the distance… not to forget the big limestone minerality! The palate was extraordinary with layers of complexity starting with lemon zest and honeydew and then moving to creamsicle and butterscotch. Then the more tropical flavors started to evolve such as pineapple, kiwi and papaya with a long finish of toasted vanilla.
1999 Dujac Morey St Denis – Jammy cherries and ripe plum on the nose with crisp blueberries and roasted vanilla beans. The palate was smooth with a slight note of compost and a rocky minerality. After some time in the glass the wine evolved to show a darker aspect of its personality, changing to show dark dried blackberries and stewed wild fruits.
1997 Guigal La Mouline – Chocolate covered raisins with violets and purple flowers on the nose. The palate spoke of bacon fat and tar with well worn leather and smoked game adding complexity. The problem with Guigal is they are always so good when you first open them you forget that they get even better once they have had the chance to breathe for an hour or five. I showed a heroic amount of strength and allowed the wine to open and evolve in the glass for the rest of the night. It opened up to show roasted coffee beans, tart raspberries, compost, barnyard, and wet dog. The tannins were pure velvet giving the palate a sensual massage and making me savor every second I had the wine in my mouth.
1966 Cheval Blanc – With a crumbled cork on the table in front of me I tentatively took the first sniff – Wow fantastic! I let out a breath of air that I didn’t realize I was holding and took my second sniff – OMG what is the horrible steely, iron smell, is this same wine? What started out as a fantastic sample of Cheval Blanc turned into a nightmare in the blink of an eye, and I set the glass aside in pure disgust.