By: AJ McClellan
Yesterday had a great feeling around Graileys. We had all of our old crew in reminding me of the old days in Lakewood. Whenever you get such a great group of guys together you know the wines opened are going to be fantastic.
We started with a bottle of 2003 Blankiet Merlot, the last bottling by Helen Turley before she left the Blankiet project. This Merlot was ON! I love when great wine makers get a hold of this grape and help it achieve its full potential. Soft tannins with bright red fruit and a underlying current of blueberry. The palate showed subtle spice and notes of milk chocolate but the main focus was on the lush fruit and exceptional mouthfeel.
After the killer Merlot we went for something a little more dirty. We popped a 1995 L’Evangile which was in an excellent place. I don’t know if it was a fruit day or what, but all the wines we opened were showing. The L’Evangile was no exception to this, the wine was overflowing with red cherry, blackberry, raspberry, and plum. There was more earth to the wine but not as much as you would expect from a 20 year old wine. Notes of forest floor with shaved fennel and mossy earth were lurking in the background adding layers of complexity behind the massive fruit.
Last but not least was the 1976 Leroy Beaune Aigrots. When the L’Evangile was not kicking out the kind of funk we wanted it was time for the big guns. The Leroy was AWESOME. If you were looking for bright red fruit this was not the place to go. Old leather shoe, tobacco pouch, mushroom beef jerky, and dark bitter chocolate were all booming from the glass. With so much flavor it was surprising to find the wine was extremely light on the palate like drinking earth flavored water. I could have sat and contemplated this wine all night long, but alas all good things must come to an end…
At the end of the night I don’t know if I could have picked a favorite wine out of the three above. All were drinking great in their own way. I loved tasting the wines side by side, every time I think I have a grip on all wine can offer something new will always surprise me.
Other wines of the night were 2012 Entre Nous, 2012 Dancing Hares, NV Laurent Perrier Rose, NV Krug Grand Cuvee, 2008 Ehlers Cabernet Franc, 2003 Los Vascos Reserve, 2006 Favia Quarzo, 1989 Beaucastel, 1999 Poggio Antico Brunello.