Wow, what a dynamic year 2016 was!! Now that the new year is in and we are all officially back in the grind at Graileys, I would love to share the best moments from our spectacular Graileys Holiday Party! Some of our beloved members were missed but overall we had a terrific turnout and the night couldn’t have been more fantastic!

Exactly like last year, Simon and Greg set up the wines for the grand blind tasting. There were two white wines and four red wines for our members and sommeliers to swirl, smell, sniff and swish as they needed to determine the five major points of the wine: the country of origin, region, grape varietal, vintage and finally, the producer or the name of the wine. The member that marked the highest points was awarded one year free membership at Graileys!!

And the winner of the Graileys Holiday Party Blind Tasting 2016 goes to…. drum roll please…..

The Waco Natural!! 

This isn’t his first win at a Graileys blind tasting, you might remember his triumphant bottle at the Bordeaux Show Me tasting last year as well and with no formal training, his palate is on point!! The wines were somewhat tricky and he crushed it on the holiday blind tasting!! He has a natural gift and was clearly well awarded this festive night!

 2016 Graileys Holiday Party Blind Tasting Lineup

1. 2012 Patrick Piuze Val de Mer Valmur Grand Cru Chablis

2. 2012 Favia Suize Viognier

3. 2012 Perrot Minot Gevrey Chambertin

4. 1996 Scarpa Barbaresco

5. 2002 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon

6. 2009 Quinalt l’Enclos, St. Emilion

The ’96 Scarpa La Bogliona Barbera d’Asti is a favorite gem with silky textures, beautiful dry fruit, light spice and sophistication while the ’04 Messorio was ultra ripe and explosive! The ’64 Ruffino Chianti Riserva Ducale was a surprise still holding on to its last leg with elegance.

Out of the Rhone varietal bottles that were opened, to my palate the star of the night was the 2009 Auguste Clape Cornas and ’96 Chave Hermitage!! The ’09 Cornas is still in its primary level with glorious black and purple fruit, insane spice, fresh cracked black pepper, a bloody beef roast and was absolutely seductive while the ’96 Chave Hermitage showed its power in a more mature way with beautiful dried black fruit, plums, dried rose petals, smoke, forest floor and full board of fine charcuterie.

As always in such grand occasions, the Bordeaux were banging! The ’78 Haut Brion was ridiculously delicious and showing beautifully at its second peak but the ’88 La Mission Haut Brion was in full meaty form! The deep earth and minerals were stunning while the preserved black berry and currant seamlessly intermingled within the layers of baking spice, charcoal, compost and oak. Its finish could lead on for days if you let it. The annual bottle of 1990 Haut Brion was also killing it by the end of the night! After about forty five minutes in the glass, the ’90 HB woke up with maximum glory with gorgeous chunky gravel, seductive ripe fruit, dense complex spices all wrapped up in a velvety coat that followed into a long lasting finish. Overall it was an epic time as always and a night that will be remembered as one of the most festive events at Graileys!