by | April 23, 2013

The Hussy

We cranked up the fun quotient here at Graileys last Wednesday when we hosted a Sine Qua Non wine dinner for a small group of our members. This was a fitting wine dinner as we were also celebrating Ivan the Fiver’s birthday that day; he, who holds the vinous key that, unlocks the valve to the coveted, cult wines known as SQN.

SQN is known for fashioning wines that are unabashedly aromatic, rich and hedonistic in their youth yet has the stuffing and balance that suggest ageability. I vividly remember the 2003 Papa Syrah I had about a year ago that showed additional mature notes of olive, deeper spiciness and leather to its core of crushed raspberries and blackberry.

First on the line-up was a magnum of 2000 Sine Qua Non The Hussy that was highly aromatic with beeswax, herbal tea, apricot, poached pear, orange marmalade backed up by a palate that was full-bodied and generous with a luscious texture. A twist of grilled orange peel on the finish. This was a perfect complement to the salad of avocado, toasted walnuts, fresh pears with bibb lettuce dressed in poppy seed vinaigrette. This big bottle was courtesy of the birthday boy who bought this bottle at a charity auction a year ago. By all accounts, he paddle-dueled with an equally enthusiastic connoisseur for this wine but his resolve fell short to that of Ivan The Fiver’s. And because of that, we were singing the praises of The Hussy’s heady perfume and voluptuous character.

Next in the line-up were the 2010 Sine Qua Non Five Shooter Grenache and 2010 Sine Qua Non Five Shooter Syrah. The Grenache was impressive straight out of the bottle filling the room with aromas of raspberry ganache, plums, black cherries and licorice. This wine was about seduction in the palate; velvety in texture, generous and mouth-filling, with black cherries, baking spice, and chocolaty flavors hitting every corner of my palate. A nice thread of acidity kept the wine’s ripeness in check. The Syrah showed a savory component with a smoky, Provencal herbs and olive notes intermingling with blackberries and blueberries. This showed more spine and a firmer structure. Although the tannins are ripe and very well-integrated, next to the Grenache, they were more noticeable.

The 2009 Sine Qua Non The Thrill Of… Syrah from a magnum was tasted next. This was the favorite of the night (although my WOTN was the 2010 Five Shooter Grenache) and deservedly so. Amazing complexity with layered notes of crushed violets, road tar, black pepper, smoke, granite, licorice, roasted espresso wrapped in a rich plum, blackberries and black raspberry flavors. This was very primary and certainly had the structure to develop more complexity and withstand additional bottle age.

This was followed by the 2008 Sine Qua Non B-20 Syrah. This showed more flesh and a broader mouthfeel than the last time I had which was a year ago. That being said, this was more compact and brooding next to the juicier The Thrill Off… Syrah. This had more pronounced black pepper, cured meat, granite, dried herbs, and smoke layered with black and blue fruits. I thought this was the more backward wine of the line up and it needed another 2-3 years to resolve some of the tannins, flesh out the mid-palate and allow the ripe fruit to push through.

And to just finish the night on a right note, a bottle of 1996 Dom Perignon Brut was poured around the table. This was another Ivan The Fiver donation. I must say, I enjoyed being on the receiving end of all this generosity. The DP was full-bodied, dry and toasty with baked dough, biscuit, lemon custard notes and mushroom. Vigorous on the palate with creamy, fine mousse. Persistent length. Just a stunner….

I snuck a bite of that decadent strawberry crepe and as I down it with the 1996 DP, my world just felt oh-so-right.

But apparently, more bubbly was coming after the DP. A 2002 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs was elegant, fresh and creamy with stone fruits, citrus, almond paste and acacia. Beautifully focused, well-defined acidity yet full and creamy mouth feel. I had this at a Ruinart wine dinner a week prior and this was consistent. Persistent, citrus-tinged finish.

This was followed by a bottle of 1998 Krug Brut that showed structure and richness. Floral and toasty with buttered popcorn, marzipan and chalky minerality. Full-bodied with impressive precision and length.

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | April 22, 2013

Graileys in Chablis with Patrick Piuze

By Simon Roberts

Patrick Piuze, one of our favorite winemakers was in town a few weeks back and visited Graileys to taste us on his 2010 and 2011 Chablis. The wines were, as always, spectacular. We dropped by Boulevardier for dinner after the tasting that day with importer Todd Mathis and a great idea was born… why don’t you come to Chablis?   Fast forward three weeks and I find myself, with a hangover, driving from Paris with a great friend and Graileys member Mauricio towards Chablis, a picture book French village just and hour and thirty minutes from the center of Paris. Along the way, we stopped and walked around the sleepy town of Auxerre.

A couple of hair of the dog beers were in order after a night of shenanigans in Paris and what was in store was in fact, far more. I was served what was most definitely one of the best meals I have ever had at Mauricio’s mate’s place, Fred.

The plate of Pasta Gamba bathed in garlic, mushroom and virgin olive oil was a simple but very delicious meal. Maybe it was the vibe, the view, the people or perhaps the 2001 Sassicaia and the 1999 San Leonardo Super Tuscan  along with copious shots of tequila we drank or all of the above but I was clearly paying for a memorable night all the way to Chablis.

The hair of the dog worked wonders and it was onward to Chablis, just 15 minutes down the country roads from Auxerre. Patrick was waiting for us right outside his cellars as we drove past but luckily he flagged us down.

Patrick’s winery was a hive of activity. We walked past the 2011 vintage  getting labeled and boxed as he motioned us all upstairs where he had a table set and ready for lunch.

 Patrick’s winery and cellars are spartan; old school and and real with no airs and graces and shiny tasting rooms. Lunch was a hoot and  started with a bottle of 2008 Patrick Piuze Chablis  Grenouilles that showed pure power allied with elegance. The balance suggested these wines will age effortlessly.  Patrick’s chef had prepared a wonderful lunch of wrapped Turbot over field greens followed by a lamb dish that was worthy of a Michelin star. Naturally, the wines flowed as did the stories amongst guests that included  winemaker Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat. Jim is an acknowledged pioneer that put Santa Barbara on the wine map as a prime source of fine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He was the perfect lunch guest; he was fun and full of character much like his own, superb wines. We tasted through Patrick’s other vintages including a 2009 Patrick Piuze Vaillons-Les Minot that was stunning and really had everybody talking; only 37 cases were produced though. Ces’t La Vie!

Patrick next opened a 2004 Tetre Rotebouef that was drinking well as was the magnum of NV Laurent Perrier Rose that was quickly polished off as a palate cleanser before we headed down for some barrel tastings deep underneath the road, through a tunnel to what looked like a haunted, horror crypt filled with wine barrels and dusty bottles.

 

It was absolutely an awesome experience being in the company of the musty bottles buried in the tunnels of this two century-old cellar.  Based on the tasting, you know I will be picking up as much as I can of Patrick’s last few vintages as well as 2012. I got the inside scoop from a great winemaker-to-watch and it was one of the most refreshing winery visits I have ever had the pleasure of doing. It was real, just like Patrick and his wines.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

by | April 19, 2013

College Burgundies, Young New World Gems & Old French Hens

By Teddy Tastevin

You gotta love Monday at Graileys. We had some of our favorite members in and a great restaurant sommelier to relax, converse and drink amazing wine. Almost all the wines blew away my personal expectations-even the “bad” vintage 1997 red burg and the 1990 white burg.  Here were the goodies:

We popped a bottle of 1990 Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet les Vergers 1er Cru to start off and it did not disappoint. Sometimes it feels like aged White Burg from the 90’s can be hit and miss-the was a HIT. It rode on the right side of the line when it came to honeyed richness, marzipan, quince, hazelnut, super aromatic honeysuckle, creamy rich mouthfeel and LONG finish. This drank great over 4 hours and stayed as good if not better at room temperature. My favorite 90’s White Burg I have had yet in my limited Graileys time.

Next off I spied an off vintage of the awesome 1997 Joseph Drouhin Romanee St. Vivant Grand Cru and popped it open. The nose initially was full of roses, sour cherries, dried leaves, stony minerality and dried raspberries. It was light and elegant with a nice dried herbs and spice finish. After an hour it took on a bloody meat note and added power and depth-wow. This is a great bad vintage wine from the year I started college! It got better as it stayed open and the fruit got dener and darker as did the flavor-dried black cherries, dried rose petal and violets, crushed blackberry, fresh morel mushrooms and black truffles, turned wet soil. The flavors just continued to evolve.

Next we went on to 2 seperate 1999’s from Vincent Girardin – the same year I repeated my sophomore year in college and transferred to the University of Arkansas. Great wine led me to repeat the grades-but they tasted nothing like these! First we did the 1999 Vincent Girardin Corton Renardes Grand Cru.  This was a meaty, brawny style of beaune pinot that might have lacked in elegance but made up for it in brooding power. It was showy out of the bottle and smelled of potting soil, wet mushrooms, pine, raw beef, cassis, plum, black cherry, tomato and dried roses. There was noticeable grip and a slightly rustic feel to the wine.

The second was the 1999 Vincent Girardin Bonne Mares Grand Cru and it tasted downright aristocratic compared to the Corton. I have always felt that Bonne Mares can be one of the heavier, more structured, more animal Grand Crus of the Cote de Nuits. The 1999 was drinking in a beautiful window right now and heralded a nice iron minerality with cream de cassis, black licorice, anise, cherry cordial, framboise, truffle, fudge and an enjoyable round, lip smaking tannin-acid balance. Good stuff!

During this time a bottle of 1999 Comte Armand Pommard Clos des Epeneaux 1er was decanted and was coming to life. It took a few hours to unwind – classic Comte Armand! It was a meaty, burly wine of depth with loads of dried herbs, dried leaves, cured beef, fennel, cassis, and blackberry. A very long and savory finish awarded patience.

After this savory meat-fest we needed some fruit, some oak,and some chocolate. We decided to drink 3 New World classics. The first was the 2001 Penfold’s 707 Cabernet Sauvignon from South Australia and it is the best Cab they produce. It was gorgeous and seamlessly overwhelming to the palate with oodles of eucalyptus, dried herbs (dill, fennel, tarragon), coffee bean, vanilla, cassis, black cherry, brambly blackberry, leather and musk. Very classy and balanced the wine is drinking with considerable finesse on the finish.

Next was the 2010 Robert Foley Merlot from Napa. This is a house favorite and Robert Foley has a trademark signature to his wines that this one possesses in spades. The mocha, cocoa, plum, damson, juicy black cherry and black raspberry are easy to love in these seamless, round generous wine with considerable mid-palate richness and a lingering flavor of violets and fudge. Delish!

Lastly we popped the 2009 Futo OV Cab Blend from Oakville. This is by far my favorite Napa blend for the price and is the second label to my current favorite Napa Cult wine: Futo FUTO. I like Cab Franc done in an opulent Napa style akin to Crocker & Starr and this fits that bill-only on steroids! There is a liquid minerality akin to iron and stone that serves as the chassis to this monster wine of enticing aromatics and flavors. On the nose violets, plums, wood smoke and fresh tobacco spring forth from the glass. A myriad of red and blue fruits come across as perfectly ripe and ample. With all this excess of flavor the wine remains balanced with jazzy acidity to reign in some of the weight of the wine. Impressive.

We finished with two classic French wine regions from two great vintages. First was the 1982 Gruaud Larose St. Julien 2nd Growth that one of our best members was kind enough to open. The wine was vinous and broad shouldered.  A touch rustic for my taste, the nose and palate was all gravel, pencil lead, barnyard, pyrezene, pipe tobacco, barnyard, mushroom, and dried herbs. The wine was medium weight, spicy and earthy.  Not the best 82 I have tried but it is great for the style.

Our final wine was the magnificent 2001 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape from the Southern Rhone. Vieux Donjon always has a saturated core with exotic spices on the nose – lavender, violets, creme de cassis, liquified blueberries, licorice and hot stones. A young polished powerful Cdp that will reward further cellaring and is slutty good now. Definitely for the fan of an international style of Cdp that gets big scores and has loyal devotees-myself included. Good stuff.

The wine of the day was the 1997 Drouhin Romanee St Vivant – It made me believe once again that great vineyards and great producers make great wines in “bad” vintages. Cheers to you Burgundy!

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , ,

by | April 16, 2013

Gonet-Medeville Comes to Visit

Almost three years ago, a few members of Graileys made a pilgrim to –arguably- the wine world’s capital of Bordeaux. Naturally, the whole trip was jam-packed with killer tastings including a visit to Chateau Latour. So on their last day, a Saturday, with Chateau Gillette on the calendar, a few decided to skip the tasting and troll around St-Emilion for other non-wine endeavors. And boy, did they miss out!

Xavier Gonet and Julie Gonet-Medeville, the current generation of Medevilles running the domaine, welcomed the Graileys group graciously. By the end of the tasting, there was a line-up of 20 wines on the table including older vintages of Chateau Gilette Sauternes, Gonet-Medeville Champagnes, Gonet-Medeville Coteaux Champenois ‘Ambonnay’ and Chateau Eyrins from Margaux. The Gonet-Medeville family operation is unique in the wine world given the range of their portfolio across three prime growing regions.  The group was so blown away by the experience that Simon made Xavier and Julie commit to stopping by Graileys when they make their way to Dallas.

Well, last Tuesday, we hosted Xavier Gonet at Graileys on his first ever visit to Texas. Needless to say, we rolled out the proverbial red carpet for him and made sure that virtually everyone in the Bordeaux trip made it to the wine dinner. We tasted nine of Xavier and Julie’s wines and were impressed by the range of this couple’s. Xavier is clearly passionate about his craft and yet he, according to him, is surprised that people are excited about his wines.

The first flight consisted of the Gonet-Medeville Champagne. The vineyards for this small Champagne House came from Xavier’s shares of his family’s holdings in Mesnil-sur-Oger. He and Julie started farming this 8-hectare estate in 2000. A grower Champagne, Gonet-Medeville is turning out some very well-priced and distinctive bubbles.

The NV Gonet-Medeville Tradition, a blend of 60% Chardonnay from Bisseul and Oger, 30% Pinot Noir from Bisseul and 10% Pinot Meunier from Mareuil-sur-Ay, was poured first. This was very dry, medium bodied marked by lime and green apple notes on the nose. The palate was broader than the nose initially suggested with deeper flavors of yeast, biscuit and baked dough adding richness. Great definition, soft and delicate mousse, good length.

The NV Gonet Medeville Blanc de Noirs from 100% Pinot Noir from Bisseul was next in the line-up.  This was more generous, fuller-bodied with a round and broad mouthfeel. Pronounced brioche and baked pastry with notes of mushrooms, toast and raspberries. Creamier mousse. Chalky, flinty finish.

The NV Gonet-Medeville Rose was very dry and focused with spiced raspberries, red cherries,  floral and a hint of minerality. Medium-bodied, lively acidity with zingy red fruits on the finish. A blend of 60% Chardonnay from Mesnil-sur-Oger, 33% Pinot Noir from Bisseul and 7% red wine from Ambonnay.

The 2010 Respide-Medeville Graves Blanc was tasted next. This was refreshing and easy drinking… think patio wine to beat Texas’ summer heat! Notes of sweet hay, green apple, lime, grapefruit and spice. Light-bodied, dry and refreshing. The peach notes from Semillon showed in the mid-palate, balancing the wine’s vivid acidity.  A blend of 50% Semillon, 48% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle.

The next flight consisted of the family’s reds from Bordeaux. First poured was the 2010 Domaine des Justice Superieur which was juicy and succulent with blackberries, plums and smoky undertones. This is certainly meant for early consumption and focused on ripe fruit and supple, smooth tannins.

The 2010 Cru Monplaisir is a 9-ha property planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc just outside of the Margaux appellation. The wine showed balance with firmer tannins, concentrated fruit and beautiful aromatics. Next to Justices, this had more structure, flesh and grip on the palate. Plums, black raspberries, black cherries with a toasty cedar undertone.

The 2010 Chateau Eyrins, the most recent addition to the family’s portfolio, was tasted next. Xavier and Julie had the opportunity to purchase this 2.9-hectare property in the heart of Margaux in 2009. The vineyard is triangular in shape and is surrounded by Chateau Margaux’s vines on two sides. This was medium-bodied, aromatic and elegant with blackcurrant, spice, plums and cedar. Harmonious on the palate with refined and well-integrated tannins and vivid acidity.  A very pretty wine.

The next flight consisted of some beautifully made and decadent Sauternes, a fitting culmination to a phenomenal evening of great people, interesting conversations and fantastic wines.

First on the flight was the 2006 Chateau Les Justices Sauternes which showed a pronounced floral, dried apricot, honeyed pear and orange marmalade on the nose that carried on to the rich and luscious palate. Great balance between the wine’s unctuous texture and bright acidity. The wine is a blend of 85% Semillon,

The 1989 Chateau Gilette Sauternes was on a totally different category with impressive mouthfeel and volume on the palate perfectly balanced by deep, concentrated fruit, honeysuckle, orange blossoms, grilled hazelnuts and a touch of musky note. Great complexity and length.

The 1981 Chateau Gilette Sauternes, I have to say, was my favorite. There was an energy to the 1981 that made the 1989 seem relatively cloying. More floral and candied fruit (quince, pear, apricot) than honeyed with a more pronounced whiff of musky, smoky nuance that added complexity. The brilliant acidity kept the wine’s long finish fresh.

Julie Gonet-Medeville is the talented winemaker now continuing the family’s history in Sauternes. Gilette’s Sauternes is unique in that the wine is aged for 20 years in concrete vats before they are released. This reductive vinification technique eschews oxygen contact thus encouraging slow maturation and allowing the wine to keep its fruity freshness while developing a more complex aromatic profile. Chateau Gilette is a 4.5 hectare estate and was under the 10-hectare requirement to even be considered for the famous 1855 classification. The quality of Chateau Gilette is well-recognized, however, as it is virtually on the wine list of every 3 Star Michelin restaurant in France and has been on Troigrois’ by-the-glass program consistently for last 40 years.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | April 9, 2013

Wines of Elegance and Flamboyance

By Ryan Tedder

Another mundane Monday evening at Graileys…NOT! We had a fantastic member host some friends and pull out some great Rhone wines to enjoy during their discussions. In addition to that we had a pre-tasting hello and drink some good juice with the winemaker Xavier Gonet-Medeville from he and his wife’s winery in Champagne. Lastly Todd from Martine’s wines completed the crew. It was a study in nuance and ethereal aromas followed by blunt force trauma and perfection. Wow!

We started with a properly aged 1990 Domaine Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet les Vergers 1er Cru. Vergers is just West of Batard Montrachet and this wine spoke of aged power and slightly oxidized richness. The wine started with buttered toast, honey, hazelnuts and white and yellow flowers like honeysuckle. The wine started with a baked pineapple edge that opened up into a more ripe apricot, peach, nectarine, bruised apple and quince myriad. A stony minerality framed the wine and the finish was expansive and thought provoking. Caramel apples teased at the end. Definitely not for the “unoaked” Chard camp but a delight to enjoy now.

Next was another French white that was much less old and due south.  The 2007 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is taking on some fine tertiary notes of marzipan, candle wax, cintronella, lemon oil and nougat.  I have enjoyed this wine over the last few years and it is shedding some of its youthful lemon tang and taken on a richer, sweeter lemon curd, lemon bar, lemon zest nuance that really plays nicely against some of the fuller aged Rousanne notes of creme fraiche, butter, honey and white roses. A really lively wine with air-tangerine and sweet citrus emerged as well as quince and tart yellow apples. Drinking in a good window right now.

 Next off we sampled two Pinot Noirs from the new and old world to discover the differences and enjoy two well-made wines. First off we popped a bottle of 1997 Flowers Camp Meeting Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir.  This was the most surprising wine of the night for me.  Simon even uttered the it reminded him of aged Richebourg!  It definitely had some great Vosne Romanee character and was singing at this age!  The nose started with black truffles, turned wet soil, dried violets, and a wide array of dark red, blue and purple fruit – Saturated black cherries, plum pudding, black raspberry, cassis, and black licorice to name a few!  The wine was round and plump on the palate and had a gobby tannin structure that reminded me of very ripe plum flesh.  The wine showed great out of the bottle and was drinking at its peak.

In contrast the 1991 Domaine Dujac Clos St. Denis Grand Cru was restrained and full of more life. The wines of Dujac always have a purity and a power that have made the wines renowned throughout the world-this wine was replete with that.   1991 was not known as the best vintage but this wine was a stunner. There was a delightfully musky nose with loads of dried roses, dried mushrooms, gravel, tobacco, and cherry cordial. The wine smelled like all the funk that newly opened great Burg will have with a matchbook note that needed to blow off. The wine started to expand in the glass and the finish was laser beam focused from the get go. I think this wine would still go for another 10 years! We drank it over the course of an hour and it was still just unfolding. The fruit profile was pure tart red with sour cherry, red apple skin, ripe cranberry, tomato leaf and jazzy raspberry. The tannins were fine grained and caressing with loads of stony granite minerality. This further makes me believe in Dujac and I hope to worship at this temple often!

We had a nice new world Cab from one of our favorite producers with a little age on it from the “horrible” 2003 vintage. The 2003 Jones Family The Sisters Cabernet Sauvignon was showing wonderful with a mature nose of blackberries, plums, cassis, black licorice and gravelly minerality.  There was a nice bay leaf and mint herbaceous note that played well with the mature fruit. The oak was fully integrated but added a nice cocoa, cinnamon and coffee roast note. This was a Heidi Barrett wine and boy it was delish!

 We had a special little treat to try the newest vintage of SQN Syrah! We tried the 2010 Sine Qua Non Five Shooter Syrah and it was quite surprising.  Based on previous vintages of other SQN Syrahs I had expected a fuller, sappier mouthfeel and more power. The wine was absolutely beautiful to drink-like an elegant version of great Cote Rotie from a cooler year. A polished, balanced and heady wine more in the Grand Cru Burg (Echezeaux?) camp with more new world fruit than earth.  The nose led with violets, macerated blackberries, white pepper, rose petals, fudge and tangy red fruit.  It was generous yet balanced in the mouth with the same flavors as the nose and the finish was already 45 seconds long out of the bottle! I don’t want to come close to this for a while at least 7 years and I bet it will last for 30 years with its pleasing, balanced acidity and robust extract.

The SQN Syrah served as a perfect warm up to two of the absolute best expressions of Syrah in the world from its traditional home in the Northern Rhone.  First we decanted and poured the 1990 Chapoutier Le Pavillon Ermitage Syrah. This was one of the most aromatically compelling wines I have ever smelled. It smelled and tasted like the prologue to the best book ever written…I think this wine could legitimately be a 50-70 year cellar candidate and it was coyly and slowly unfolding for 4 plus hours. On the nose it smelled of cigar box, rosemary and thyme cooked brisket, road tar, lavender, bacon fat, mesquite smoke, molasses and dead animal.  It took on notes of potpourri, dried herbs, dried meats,  plums, black pepper, fig, date, and orange peel. Wow! The wine on the palate was muted and only tasted of potential for the first 3 hours and then was just starting to reveal itself in seismic waves when we finished it. This was a 100 pointer and it tasted every bit the part.

We finished the night by killing one of the best single vineyard Cote Roties in the 2005 E. Guigal La Turque Cote Rotie.  This is one of the three La La’s from Guigal that have consistently been some of the best wines in the world year over year for the last 30 years.  The La Turque is cofermented with 7% Viognier and it is probably the most gamey and animal expression of the three. It is another 100 pointer and I would not come close to this wine for another decade. The wine was full of ripe blackberry and black cherries, violets, bacon fat, and red plum flesh. The wine was multilayered and powerful flirting with every aspect of purple fruit and flowers and feral animal, granite minerality, and fresh cracked cigar tobacco. Simply remarkable!

Yep just another mundane Monday at Graileys….

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

by | April 4, 2013

Pahlmeyer and then some….

We were excited when we were approached by our local vendor to host a casual tasting with Cleo Pahlmeyer last Monday. We’ve enjoyed some fine, mid-90s Red Blends and Merlot from this family-owned winery so we were interested in visiting their current releases. As this is Graileys, naturally, there were already a few bottles on the table when Cleo walked in the door around 5:30pm on a Monday.

In my glass, a 2002 Vincent Dauvissat Chablis Le Clos which was a muted on the nose. Some subtle hints of lime blossom, chalky minerality and citrus were barely peeking from the glass but not much else. The palate was even more reticent with very steely texture and a laser-like acidity that kept my palate salivating but it seemed disjointed, lacking in mid-palate and flavor depth and its overall structure overwhelmed by intense acidity. I think this wine is just in a quirky spot right now and will undoubtedly benefit from additional time in bottle. For now, I am on defense with this wine.

Simon next poured a 1990 Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeots which was compelling straight out of the bottle. Intense bouquet of corn kernel, buttered toast, smoky floral, poached pears, apples, and roasted hazelnuts were balanced by a palate that was fleshy, rich and broad. Impressive acidity provided a nice lift to the palate. Persistent lively finish. Fully mature and I think in a fantastic spot right now.

Well, as Cleo was in the house, we officially started the Pahlmeyer part of the afternoon.

 

First on the line-up was the 2010 Pahlmeyer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay mostly from Wayfarer Farm Vineyard, the family’s estate vineyards located in the ‘true Sonoma Coast’ in the newly-created, Fort-Ross Seaview AVA. This had opulence and riper fruit intensity on the nose. Toasty oak, vanilla with golden delicious apples, peach, apricot, tangerine emanated from the glass. In the mouth, this showed a round, lush texture with plenty of ripe stone fruits. Full bodied with a vibrant acidity to keep the wine’s rich structure in check.  A percentage of the fruit was sourced from Russian River Valley’s Ritchie Vineyard.

I poured the 2010 Pahlmeyer Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, a blend of Wayfarer and Hallberg Vineyards fruits, which was expressive and persistent with black cherries, baking spices, wild berry jam, and plum. Seamless and velvety on the palate. There was a definition here that I enjoyed. Juicy and vibrant Pinot Noir that is begging to be enjoyed now for its succulent fruit and sexy texture.

The 2009 Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Merlot was tasted next. This bottling is complemented by an addition of 11% Cabernet Sauvignon to the blend. Ripe and aromatic on the nose with tons of plums, blackcurrant, black raspberries, spice, and fig and sweet oak nuance. Full and richly-fruited on the palate with supple tannins.

The 2009 Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend was poured next exhibiting bold cassis, blackcurrant, black cherries and mocha aromatics. In the mouth this was fleshy and broad in structure packed with ripe dark fruits and a healthy dose of toasty cedar.

As I was re-tasting my Pahlmeyer Pinot Noir, I was poured a 1969 Remoissenet Volnay Clos des Chenes whose iron, mineral, dusty cherry, dried bay leaf and undergrowth bouquet provided a stark contrast to the otherwise plush, fruit-driven style of the former. This Remoissenet’s lively freshness at this stage of bottle age is just intriguing.

A taste of 1990 Veuve Clicquot Cuvee Privee was poured in my glass next. This had rich and intoxicating aromatics of toast, bread dough, quince, Asian pear and almonds which led to a palate that was full-bodied yet elegant with mousse that was creamy and refined. There was a beautiful citrusy acidity and a streak of minerality in the palate that kept the wine vigorous. Enviably long finish. Very youthful right now.

I next tasted a 1996 Hudelot-Noellat Romanee-St-Vivant. Complex and mature bouquet reminiscent of cured meat, iron, clove, damp forest floor, and wild mushroom with a core of candied, rich red fruits emanating from the glass. In the mouth, this was medium-bodied with silky, rich texture and deep, sweet  flavors . Persistent finish. This was a beautiful bottle.

A sip of the 1999 Hudelot Noellat Romanee-St-Vivant immediately followed. This was more robust and meatier relative to the 1996. Initially reticent but with an hour of sitting in the glass, this wine blossomed with savory notes of black truffle, earth and tea leaves intermingling with plums, black cherries and black raspberries.  Next to the 1996, this was more density and structure. Drinking now but clearly has the structure and balance to improve with another decade of cellaring.

As I was contemplating my preference of these duo of Romanee-St-Vivant, I caught Simon motioning me to the bar area. He handed me a glass of red and asked me to nose it. I said, “pyrazines, green peppercorn, jalapeno, green bell pepper” and I liked it. This turned out to be a 1999 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon. This proved to be a very contentious bottle with some people declaring this bottle “absolutely corked” and “all wet cardboard with a twist of jalapeno.” I was on the yes-herbaceous and green- but-not-corked camp. I’ve always been a fan of Togni’s Bordeaux-like restrain and aging potential. There was no way this wine was corked given that even with the upfront cedar and herbaceous character, there was this big, rich core of plum, blackcurrant and black cherries in the palate. Someone suggested we send this to a lab to get a definitive answer. Well, that won’t be a first. Only at Graileys, folks….

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | April 1, 2013

Old Meets New On A Beautiful Saturday

By: Ryan Tedder

 My inaugural Graileys post is full of enjoyment from this last weekend.  We paired some amazing White Burg, Bubbles, and young Barolo with some of my favorite domestic producers-Favia and Robert Foley. It was such a pretty day we propped the door open and watched March Madness with the crew-what a great day!

We started with Gonet Medeville Rose Champagne from 3 premier crus and a whopping 1 hectare of fruit! This is a house favorite and this bottle was more of the same: floral rose petal notes, red currant, wild strawberries, and dried raspberries with an enjoyable chalky minerality and a long dry finish.

Next we had two amazing white burgundies side by side and both were amazing, albeit different. First we enjoyed the Marc Pillot Chassagne Montrachet Les Caillerets 1er Cru 1999.  The wine was drinking beautifully and showed a mature nose of marzipan, buttered bread, apple tart and yellow and white flowers. The palate added honey and cream-a rich full expression of mature Chardonnay from a great premier cru.

Next was the Bouchard Chevalier Montrachet ‘la Cabotte’ Grand Cru 1998. This wine was showing power and beauty and contained more floral notes and more balance versus the latter White Burgundy.  The nose was loaded with orange blossoms and honey suckle moving into perfectly ripe bosc pears and kumquats. The palate was rich and layered with similar flavors as the nose with a crushed stone minerality and balanced acidity.  The Bouchard was a delight to drink as every 15 minutes more nuance and complexity filled the glass. The saddest part was the last sip…

We moved into reds with Robert Foley’s Purple Label Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2009.  You have to love how well Robert Foley makes wine!  This is 100% varietal from a great year and it delivered in spades. This is not a Cab that hits you over the head with tannins and alcohol-its caressing you into delight with violets, espresso and fudge on the nose. This is followed by crushed ripe blueberries and blackberries on the attack. There is a nice creamy mid-palate where more chocolate, mocha and plum make appearances. The wine finishes smooth, long and polished.

Next was the Favia Rompecabezas GSM 2009. This is a big bold GSM from Amador County. Andy Erickson makes this wine and his signature class is all over it. The wine leads with roses and cinnamon on the nose. Black cherries, red licorice, brambly ripe wild berries, and cocoa nibs lead on the palate with grippy mouth-coating tannins. The wine had a meaty, powerful finish.

Both of these wines were so ripe and yummy we decided to counter-balance it with some tannic, hearty baby Barolo to keep us honest. The baby we decided to murder was the Gaja Dagromis Barolo 2006 – homicide has never been so delicious! The wine was young but ample-dried roses, road tar, dried fennel and red currant filled the glass. On the palate the tart red fruit included bing cherries, raspberries, and red licorice. The fennel and dried herbs paired with a nice turned earth and wet forest minerality as the wine opened. There was also noticeable spice-both hard oak spices and pepper notes. The tannins and acid fought it out  bringing a nervy, long finish to the wine.

After all the meat, funk and spice we finished with a warm blanket of a wine- the Robert Foley Kelly’s Cuvee Syrah Napa 2010. If more people made Syrah like this people might actually start to seek it out! Foley tell-tale oak signature was apparent on the nose followed by a myriad of blue, purple and black fruits. Blueberries, blackberries, plums, huckleberries, mocha, cocoa, violets, fruitcake, and creamy fudge fill your mouth. Everything is balanced in a hedonistic new world Syrah lovers package. Drink up!

Cheers!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

by | March 28, 2013

Getting Back to Bordeaux

By: AJ McClellan

 

Last night we tasted a few Bordeaux’s that were singing! We have been really getting into the aged Cali Cabs recently but it was nice to get back to our roots and have a few good bottles of Bordeaux for the evening.

The first bottle was a 1990 Lagrange that was lovely. It opened up with a musty aroma of old earth and dried spices, but after nearly thirty minutes the musk blew off and you were left with the clean earth of dried leaves and freshly cut pine. The fruit was very nice with dark berries and long anise finish.

After the Lagrange we popped a 1999 Lynch Bages for a little left bank action. This bottle was drinking like classic Bordeaux with graphite, plum, black cherry and bold forest floor. I was very impressed with this wine despite its youth.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as ,

by | March 26, 2013

Opus One Score Card

This is one cellar that just keeps on giving….

Opus One was on everyone’s mind last Thursday as we lined-up three vintages from the decade of the 1990s and what a treat it turned out to be!

First poured was the 1991 Opus One from a half bottle. This was mellow and fully mature. Silken texture, elegant with complex notes. Smoky, slightly peaty, leather, undergrowth, spice, dried herbs and cedar on the nose and palate. Sweet tannins and vibrant acidity. Drink now.

Next up was the 1993 Opus One. This was beautifully focused and more aromatic. Deep and intense bouquet of mint/eucalyptus, cigar box, spice, earth and a core of blackcurrant and black cherries in its velvety textured and medium-bodied structure. Vibrant and coffee-tinged finish. This was my favorite of the line-up. I just loved the wine’s intense bouquet and seamless texture.

The 1999 Opus One was tasted next. This showed greater opulence, density and richness with aromas of toasty oak, licorice intermixed with ripe blackberries, blackcurrants and cherries. In the mouth, this is fuller-bodied with a fleshy mid-palate and flavor depth. Beautiful integration of big tannins and oak component.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as ,

by | March 21, 2013

Pichon Lalande

Last Thursday was prime time. Our newest member walked in with  Pichon Lalande in his afternoon’s agenda. AJ happily obliged with a line-up of 1985, 1996 and 2002.

The 1985 Pichon Lalande was in a great spot showing maturity with a complex bouquet of smoke, cedar, tobacco, sweet spice and ripe red cherries. Beautiful palate marked by mellow, smooth texture and elegance. Smoke and tobacco on the long finish.

The 1996 Pichon Lalande showed a firmer, fuller structure with more pronounced tannins and a darker fruit profile reminiscent of blackcurrant, plums and black cherries. A hint of herbaceousness and scorched earth on the nose and palate added some complexity. Impressive flavor depth and complexity on the palate. Big tannins balanced by concentrated fruit. Although this wine is drinking now with a two-hour decant, I would like to see it with another decade of bottle age to resolve more of those formidable tannins.

The 2002 Pichon Lalande seemed tight and austere. Subdued notes of cedar, blackcurrant, blackberries, green tobacco and graphite hidden in a powerful,  tannic structure. More pronounced herbaceouness on the finish. This is not in a great drinking spot right now. I would lay this down for another 10-15 years before attempting to pull the cork on another bottle.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as