by | December 9, 2011

Andy Erickson’s Favia Vertical Tasting

By: AJ McClellan

Andy Erickson is one of my favorite winemakers out of Napa, every wine he touches he leaves a distinctive note of quality. Wednesday we had the privilege of being the first people to taste a vertical of his La Magdalena from 2001 to 2008 (except for the 2004 vintage which was not bottled due to extreme heat.) The wines were excellent and it was very interesting to taste the wine all at one time like this. Andy admitted this was his first time to taste all the wines at once like this as well. After we went through the vertical Andy and I agreed that the 01 was showing the best out of the bunch with great earthy notes and a tannic core that leads me to believe that it has another decade of life left in it.

 

2011 Favia Sauvignon Blanc – The Sauvignon Blanc was just bottled out of barrel just for this tasting. For a wine with little to no time to settle, the Sauvignon Blanc was outstanding. Fresh lemon and lime on the nose with hints of white flowers and grapefruit. The palate was still settling but you can tell it has all the components for a great bottle of wine.

2001 Favia La Magdalena – This was my wine of the tasting. The 01 was superb with a very Bordeaux-esk nose and palate. The wine started with an herbal note backed by roasted plums and dried rose petals. There was a subtle note of tilled earth that I thought was very pleasant on the finish of the wine.

2002 Favia La Magdalena – Another great bottle of wine. Very similar to the 01 with great earth tones and a collection of clove, cedar, and thyme that lead into a great fruit note of black berries. Long finish and great balance complete this wine.

2003 Favia La Magdalena – This was a great surprise for me. I have had little luck with 03 Cali Cabs but this bottle was very nice. The tannins were supple with well balanced fruit and spice notes. I don’t think this wine has as much life left in it as the 01 and 02 but it is still a great bottle of wine….

2005 Favia La Magdalena – No surprise here, another great bottle of wine. I thought the 05 was showing very well with notes of dark cherries, blackberries, and red currants. The palate had a soft supple note with a wonderful finish and excellent balance.

2006 Favia La Magdalena – Black berries and sandal wood on the nose with a note of black tea and clove. The palate was very soft for a younger wine with a fruit forward expression of bright fruits and a finish that reminded me of walking through a spice market.

2007 Favia La Magdalena – The 07 has closed down just a hair since the last time I tried the wine. That being said, I think that the 07 shows the most potential out of the entire lineup. Dark cherries on the nose with raspberry and  black currants followed by dark bakers chocolate and tobacco smoke. The palate was just as complex with a seamless balance that is the telltale sign of a great wine to come…

2008 Favia La Magdalena – Like many 08’s that I have tasted recently this bottle was ready for the drinking. The tannins were still hard but they fit very well into the wine and gave off no hard edges. Dark fruit and tobacco was the theme of this wine as well with a hint of cedar and cooking spice.

2010 Favia Sweet Suize” Viognier – A very interesting bottle of wine. The climate was perfect in 2010 for Viognier and this wine was intended to be a wonderful dry white wine. For some reason the fermentation processes did not finish on the wine, Andy considered putting it through a secondary fermentation to eat up the rest of the RS but after trying the wine it was so good he decided to bottle it as is. The wine was all lemon cake with Granny Smith apples with a sweet finish of Lemonhead candy.

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by | December 7, 2011

A Great Night

By: Philip Robert

82 Pichon Lalande – Having had this bottle many times, this has to be my single favorite 82 Bordeaux. In a word, seamless. In two words, seamless and ethereal. If I had to drink Bordeaux for the rest of my life it would be this bottling. It had everything you could want, grace, elegance, purity of fruit. Don’t know what more I could say.

97 Harlan The Maiden – Coming on the heels of the PLL, this was a little unfair. Given the context I thought it showed very well with cocoa and char notes with deep dark fruits. Given some time in the glass it got better.

86 Domaine Leroy Estournelles St Jacques – A classy racehorse, but initially was very tight. It did open up after a while to reveal a bit of violet and black tea on the nose, gorgeous spicy blackberry brambles and a touch of forest floor. Quite nice for me amid a sea of bigger wines.

05 Hundred Acre – Big brawny and burly I had a taste of this to see what all the fuss was about. Good well made wine in its own right, but with all of my PLL gone and a full glass of Leroy in my hand it just didnt move me. Just where my palate is at these days.

99 Dal Forno Romano from Magnum – Just a baby no doubt but we were out of Quinterelli at the moment and someone was asking for Amarone. Even pop and pour it was very giving, dark and dense, giving off plum and raisiny flavors. Totally balanced for such a young wine it was a treat to get a chance to try this. If it were me, I would revisit in 10-15 years.

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by | December 5, 2011

Doubleback Tasting

By: AJ McClellan

We had former NFL Quarterback Drew Bledsoe in from Doubleback to taste us on his 2008 and 2009 release. The wines were excellent and although Drew was a little under the weather he stuck in there like a trooper to help explain his passion for wines to our members. After the Doubleback tasting, in true Graileys fashion, our members popped a load of great bottles for the table…

 

2008 Doubleback – Soft red and black fruit with hints of cooking spice and bakers chocolate.

2009 Doubleback – The 09 was much tighter than the 08 but still showing well with big ripe fruit and a touch of clove on the back end.

1990 Camille Giroud Echezeaux GC – This wine started out suspect but with some air the wine opened up beautifully. The nose was showing deep red currants and bright red cherries with a big barnyard backing. The palate was old and rusty with notes of iron and dried red fruits.

1981 Pichon Baron – An old dirty bottle. The nose was compost and barnyard with horse hide and old gym socks. The palate gave up some fruit but it was mostly earth and funk. A very night bottle but not one for New World wine drinkers….

1998 Solaia – This may have been my wine of the night. The nose was beautiful with hints of crushed dry leaves and tilled earth. There was a subtle dusty cherry on the palate with floral notes of dried rose petals and lavender.

2005 Araujo – The Araujo was drinking like a champ with big juicy red fruits and a well balanced back end that makes me think this wine has a long life ahead of it.

1978 Remoissenet Volney Clos des Chenes – The Remoissenet wines are a pleasure to drink. The Clos des Chenes was showing some interesting smoke notes on the nose with black and red cherries and a powerful spice component. The palate was well balanced with smooth tannins and a long finish.

1994 Guigal La Turque – As always the Guigal was outstanding. Classic tar, leather, smoke, and herbal notes on the nose. The palate had all that and more with rich tannins and a outstanding finish.

1992 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill – This bottle was very impressive to me. The nose was silk in a glass with a soft caress of cassis and black cherry followed by a kiss of lilac and a subtle touch of blueberry and plum. The palate was just as amazing with light to medium tannins that did just enough to hold the wine together in an impeccable balance but without giving any abrasion, like a perfect sphere with no rough edges or flaws.

1999 Domique Laurent Mazi Chambertin GC – I have been very impressed with the Laurent wines that we have opened recently. True, they are a little heavy in the oaking processes and not as classic as some producers, but I feel that while the oak is more prevalent than some Laurent has done an excellent job of keeping the balance of the wine. Give this wine an hour to breath and you are off to the races.

1994 Silver Oak Alexander Cabernet Sauvignon – This bottle was unfortunately horribly corked, luckily a couple of our members sniffed the flawed wine out immediately though and spared us form serving it…  Good job guys…

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by | November 30, 2011

Tremendous Tuesday

By: Philip Robert

94 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard – A little history I didn’t know about but this vineyard is, from what I can tell something like .3 HA, and only 8 vintages were made from 1972 to 2003. Pop and pour this was just a stunner. Dark and dense, blackberry brambles with a touch of leather and spice. Our 88 yr old birthday boy kept remarking how it was changing all the time in the glass. A lovely combination of power and finesse, it has muscular fruit but a minerality I dont usually see too much in Cabs. We drank a 94 Harlan week before last and this was every bit of that and more. Probably THE best Cali cab I have had this year.

96 Morey Meursault Genevrieres – What a gorgeous little wine this is. Ready to drink now it has a little honeyed character on the nose but the palate has excellent creaminess and lemon zest with enough zip to carry it. Just a delicious little wine.

69 Remoissenet Volnay Santenots - Another great showing from this bottling. Red fruited spices with a touch of mushroom and damp earth. So much fruit still on the palate. Not mind blowing but shows very well.

97 Giacosa Falletto Barbaresco - Soft and supple with the tannins fairly receded. Drinking perfectly now but I would be drinking these up sooner rather than later.

07 Cristia Villes Vignes CDP – A young pup but showing flashes of brilliance – think this will be a killer wine in 10 years and has an abundance of dark fruit and savory characteristics. Think this needs time sideways but was really fun to get a look at it.

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by | November 23, 2011

Let’s Talk Science

By: Philip Robert

09 Rhys Santa Cruz Mountains Chard – Fresh from the latest shipment I read the insert which said good for current consumption. After having the RM Theriot the day before this was a disappointment. Just flabby and not much going on other than the profile one would consider typical cali chard without a huge dose of toasty oak. Someone called it Rhombauer eqsue. I got pineapple but that was about it. Bummer..

Moved on to:
92 Remoissenet Meursault Genevrieres Mag – This was firing right from the get go but I had the chance to follow it over 3 hours and it was delicious and kept changing in the glass. Still crisp with a backbone of acidity, ample stone fruit flavors and minerality. A real treat!

02 Potel Clos de la Roche Mag - A touch of reduction on the nose initially that blew off after a short while in the glass. Silky and smooth with dark raspberry and a nice little floral nose. Still think needs time sideways.

03 Pape Clement - This was drinking really really well. Fully ripe yet balanced, huge nose of blackberry brambles and earthiness. Loaded with fruit on the palate, for those who like a bigger more structured wine this is in your wheelhouse.

96 Pahlmeyer Red Blend – Very bordeaux like in every respect, drinking at apogee in my opinion. Perfectly stored bottles, leather and tobacco with dark plum. A real treat.

96 E. Guigal Ampuis - We have had this bottling numerous times and it has always delivered. Meaty, bloody iron, sauvage, touch of barnyard, mix of red and black fruits. A lot going on to wrap your head around. Delish

02 Paul Hobbs To Kalon – Delivered a knockout blow. While Cabernet is not my favorite and I could drink burgundy all day long, I have to give props where they are due because this was simply a very well made wine that had everything you could want if you are a cabernet lover. I could see how this could garner high scores. Black as night in the glass, dense and brooding, but given time to open up this reveals some cocoa powder, tobacco, black cherry and anise. Fully mouth coating and a great finish. A deft hand made this for sure.

1993 Meo Camuzet Les Chaumes – One of our members liked this so much he asked for another bottle to be opened again having had it the night before. Though this bottle was even better with a nose of violet and purple jolly ranchers. Silky on the palate yet with a firm backbone of tannin and acid. We have been opening a lot of 93s and they seem to be coming round just right.

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by | November 21, 2011

Abiouness

By: AJ McClellan

Nicole Abiouness is always a good time when she comes into Graileys to try us on her new wines. We started the night with her wonderful Rose and finished with a Sangiovese that was quite impressive for a new world example.

 

2010 Abiouness Rose – A richer, more powerful style of Rose. Typically I enjoy a lighter style of Rose but Nicole’s 100% Pinot Noir rose was drinking exceptionally well. Ripe strawberries on the nose with light floral notes on the palate and a hint of passion fruit on the finish.

2007 Abiouness Stanly Ranch Pinot Noir – A very nice everyday drinking Pinot Noir. The wine showing elegant red cherries on the nose and palate with subtle spice and a touch of pleasant minerality.

2007 Abiouness Hudson Vineyard Pinot Noir – A slight step up from the Stanly Ranch. The nose was more perfumed and moving to a darker berry. The palate was vibrant with nice acidity and a spicebox finish.

2007 Abiouness Pommard Clone Pinot Noir – This was my favorite of the tasting. The nose was vibrant with cherry cola, nutmeg, lavender, and a hint of plum. The palate was drinking very well with soft tannins and a lively acidity.

2007 Abiouness Silacci Pinot Noir – Another great bottle from Abiouness. This one was trying to show as well as the Pommard Clone but I think it just needs another year in the bottle. The Silacci was darker and slightly more powerful than the other wines and thus I think it just needs a little more time to come to fruition.

2007 Abiouness Sangiovese Eaglepoint Ranch – Sangiovese is a one of my favorite grape varietals but it can be difficult to grow outside of Tuscany. I have been tasted on more than a few Sangiovese based wines out of California but I must say that Nicole’s is by far the best.  The nose kept all of the classic dusty cherry notes of a great Italian Sangiovese as well as some of the earthiness and classic spices that I love from the grape varietal. The palate was a little light but full of flavor with a excellent finish.

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by | November 17, 2011

Jones Family Aftermath

By: AJ McClellan

After we finished with the Jones Family tasting, Jimmy fired up his new stereo system and sang a few songs for us. All the while our members dug into their cellars and pulled out some great jewels for the table to enjoy.

 

2008 Spottswoode Cabernet – Parker recently gave this wine 95+ points and I might be inclined to agree with him. The wine shows great potential but is in need of a decade in the bottle before it gets there. That being said, right now, the wine is tight and tannic and gives off little on the nose.

2001 Vincent Girardin Corton Renardes – I am a sucker for the Rouge wines from Corton… I love their light elegance and the grace they show on the palate. That being said I am having difficulties finding a great example of Corton rouge… The Girardin was huge on the nose and palate with big woody notes that were not well integrated and stuck out like a sore thumb.

2005 Hundred Acre – Big bold Cali Cab. Huge black fruits on the nose with cedar, tobacco, and pencil lead. The palate was gigantic with tight tannins and a big ball of black fruit that was so compacted together I was having difficulties distinguishing between the different fruits. This wine needs a good long while on its side before it will be approachable.

2007 Krupp Synchrony – Last year the Synchrony wormed its way into my favorite spot on the Krupp roster. This year they dialed back the Cab Franc to only 43% while the Cab Sauvignon jumped up to 45%, the rest of the wine comprised of a blend of the other Bordeaux varietals. That being said I still thoroughly enjoyed this bottle, it retained the great mouth feel that the Cab Franc lent to this wine but the structure tightened up a little and the Cab Sauv added more black fruit and tobacco to the mix giving added layers of complexities and more depth to the wine.

1990 Chateau Montelena – This is a very impressive bottle of wine. The nose was full of dark currants, smoke, leather, cigar smoke, and tobacco leaf. There was a soft velvety texture on the palate that made you want to go back for more every time you emptied your glass.

1996 Hudelot Noellat RSV GC – Hudelot makes a great bottle of wine and this 96 RSV was no exception to the norm. Soft cherries with warm earth and smoked herbs on the nose. The palate was silky with soft tannins and a long finish.

2005 Sine Qua Non Atlantis Fe203 1a – This bottle has smoothed out a lot since the last time I tried it. The tannins are starting to become palatable without five hours in a decanter and the wine is falling into place nicely. The bottle still needs some time on its side but it is coming along…

1978 Las Cases – This bottle continues to surprise me. The nose is of old shoes and compost with dried cherries and cloves while the palate is soft and elegant. I think this wine is nearing the end of its peak, time to drink them up!

1988 La Mission Haut Brion – I love Bordeaux… The 88 La Miss is drinking like a champ right now with big black fruits and cherry liquorish. This is a great example of wine from Graves.

1990 Pape Clement – Another great bottle of Bordeaux. The nose showed coffee, mocha, forest floor, and dried red flowers. The palate was as expressive as the nose with great fruit and a prominent earthiness.

1982 Lynch Bages – 82 was a magical year for many Chateaus in Bordeaux but Lynch Bages may have produced their best bottle ever in that acclaimed year. The wine was in perfect balance with wonderful blue and black fruit surrounded by a fresh earthiness and a brilliant array of spices form the spice rack.

1999 Prince Florent de Merode Corton GC – Another GC Corton Rouge that was disappointing… The nose was closed down and the palate gave off little to none. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to wait around for this wine to open up as we were approaching the end of the night when the wine was opened.

1983 Guigal Cote Rotie – This wine was stellar! The nose was a slice of warm apple pie thrown in a mud bath with a hint of red rose petals to accent the earthy aromas. The palate was all barnyard with some dried fruits strewn around.

1989 Remoissenet Gevrey Chambertin 1er Les Cazetieres Magnum – Finishing with the magnum of Remoissenet was a brilliant idea. The Burgundy showed brilliantly with a complex nose and palate of red fruit and bramble combined with a soft floral note and lingering coffee bean.

 

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by | November 15, 2011

Jones Family Tasting

By: AJ McClellan

Dan Bailey is one of my favorite proprietors to come into Graileys. Every time Dan comes by we have a great night, not only is he very knowledgeable with regards to wine, but he is also a fun guy to have around. Dan was kind enough to not only bring his current releases but he also brought a vertical of his flagship wine, The Jones Family.

 

2010 Jones Family Sauvignon Blanc – I was very impressed with this Sauvignon Blanc. I have noticed a trend of better and better Sauvignon Blanc’s coming out of Napa in the past few years. Great tropical fruit notes with a surprising back of minerality and excellent balance.

2008 Jones Family “The Sisters” Cabernet – A great “everyday drinker”. Soft tannins with big bold fruit up front. The finished showed a touch of tobacco and chocolate.

2006 Jones Family Cabernet Sauvignon – The 06 is in a great drinking window right now. The fruit is soft and clean with bright red cherries and red currants. The palate is mellow with easy going tannins and a long finish.  

2007 Jones Family Cabernet Sauvignon – I was very impressed with the 07 when it was released last year, and if anything the wine has only gotten better since I tasted it last. The nose was powerful with big ripe black and red cherries followed by worn leather and spice box.

2008 Jones Family Cabernet Sauvignon – I am still on the fence with this wine, I am not sure if it is going to be great or just really good…. I thought it was drinking wonderfully on the night with big black fruits and powerful tannins. Give the wine another two years on its side then we will see how it has evolved.

1996 Jones Family Cabernet Sauvignon Magnum – Dan was gracious enough to sneak a magnum of Jones Families inaugural vintage out for us to try *shhhh, don’t tell anyone*. The wine was delightful! The nose was full of ripe red fruits, raspberries, currants, Bing Cherries, along with cigar box, milk chocolate, and a note of pine. The palate was soft and well developed with a long finish. A great example of what these wines can achieve with sometime in the bottle.

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by | November 11, 2011

Ridge Tasting

By: AJ McClellan

We had the winemaker of Ridge vineyards, John Olney, in to taste us on the new lineup of Ridge wines. I have to tell you every time I try these wines I am impressed. Everything from the bottom to the top in this lineup was a great bottle and exceptional value….

2009 Ridge York Creek Zinfandel – A great bottle, spicy with big black fruits and a hint of spice on the back end.

2008 Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel – This was my second favorite of the Zinfandels. Red and black fruits with soft tannins and a black pepper spice on the back end of the palate that announced this wines Zinfandel heritage.

2008 Ridge Lytton Zinfandel – My favorite of the Zinfandels. The nose was bright with white pepper, dark red roses, plums, and red currants. The palate was easy drinking with soft fruit notes and a load of clove and nutmeg.

2009 Ridge Three Valleys Zinfandel – Light and elegant on the nose and palate. This wine showed brighter than the other Zinfandels with Bing cherry and raspberry. There was still a slight undertone of pepper and blackberry jam but the wine as a whole was a lighter than the other Zins…

2008 Ridge Montebello Cabernet Sauvignon – I was very impressed with this wine. The nose was big and powerful with black cherries, plum pie, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The palate was boisterous with big pepper, tobacco, leather, and ripe black fruits. A long finish completed this wine nicely.

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by | November 7, 2011

Epic Dinner Party.

By: AJ McClellan

Saturday night we had a private party with Sharon Hage catering a seven course dinner in the back room. The event was wonderful, the wines were perfect and the food was superb. I think Saturday was one of the best events we have had at Graileys, and just to see what wines were served…

2000 Vega Sicillia Unico – The Unico was big on the nose with sawdust, cedar, dill, tobacco, and dark fruits. The palate was huge with powerful dark fruits and overwhelming wood. Needs another 5 or 10 years in the bottle to calm down.

1989 Krug – I love old Krug, the 89 was just starting to get there showing golden apple, honeysuckle, sourdough, and a great minerality. The palate had the perfect amount of effervescence with beautiful balance and a complex finish.

1998 Jean Grivot Richebourg – I was slightly disappointed with this bottle. I am a big fan of Jean Grivot but this Richebourg never came around for me, I gave the wine almost 6 hours in the glass and it just never opened up. Muted Black and red cherries with subtle earth and forest floor. There was a touch of minerality on the finish but the wine was not giving off much at all…

1995 Remoissenet Montrachet – Beautiful nose of asian pear, quince, lemon zest and white flowers. The palate was full of limestone and schist with floral notes and a finish of ripe tropical fruit.

1989 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano di Neive Riserva – This was my wine of the night. The nose was Lady Gaia reincarnate with Autumn leaves, tilled soil, forest floor, and dry crushed flowers. The palate was a wonderful montage of dry blue and black berries covered in moss and served over a bed of tobacco leaves covered in dark chocolate curls.

1986 La Mission Haut Brion – Classic Bordeaux with earthy tones matched perfectly with saddle leather, plums, anise, and pipe tobacco. The palate was soft and in a perfect drinking window with a long balanced finish.

1994 Peter Michael Les Pavots – While the La Mission was a great example of Bordeaux the Peter Michael was a wonderful expression of what California can do when done right. The nose was ripe and sweet showing black cherry cola, sweet milk chocolate, coco bean, and vanilla. The palate was silky with ripe tannins and a smooth finish.

2001 d’Yquem – This was my second time to try this wine and I must say that it is absolutely heavenly! Quince, apricot, and kiwi on the nose with honeysuckles, lilies, limestone, and white peaches. The palate was sweet and syrupy with a finish that lasted for at least two minutes.

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