by | January 14, 2011

Bordeaux Blast

By: AJ McClellan

What started out as a light night with a few members quickly turned into a battle of Bordeaux’s as one great bottle of Bordeaux came out after another each competing for the wine of the night…

2007 Domaine Charvin Chateauneuf du Pape – Big chocolate with blueberry muffin and thick tobacco on the nose. The palate was heavy with hard tannins and notes of molasses, chewing tobacco, cedar, sandalwood, clove, and dark chocolate. With 80% Grenache, you would think this wine would be lighter in style but it is a monster in the glass. In 10 years time this will be a great wine.

2007 Bruno Clavelier Vosne Romanee 1er Aux Brulees – A great example of Burgundy, very soft on the nose with bright red fruits and underlying notes of earth and subtle spice. The palate was pure elegance with light red currants and Bing cherry followed by a touch of schist and limestone.

2006 Pape Clement – Always a pleasure. This bottle of Pape Clement was tighter than the previous bottles I have had form this vintage but it was still delicious with ripe dark fruits, spice box, notes of cedar, and a finish of plums and red flowers.

1982 Leoville Barton – Still tight after almost 30 years in the bottle. This wine was classic stinky feet with woody notes of cedar and pine. The palate had a nice balance but it was not overly complex. Subtle notes of mold growing under all of the wood with a platter of old dried red fruits set overtop…

1982 Grand Puy Lacoste – I was much more impressed with the Grand Puy Lacoste than the Leoville. The nose had a hint of smoke with ripe blueberries, and red currants. There was a touch of pine but nothing overbearing mixed with tobacco, vegetable ash, and a dollop of wet tar. The palate was complex and the finish lasting.

1985 Cos d’Estournel – Cos is a close second to Pichon Lalande as my favorite 2nd growth. It is consistently exceptional and always over delivers for the price. The ‘85 showed moist earth, ripe black fruits, and graphite on the nose with a powerful palate of smooth well developed tannins paired perfectly with a soft acidity and harmonious alcohol.  Exceptional wine, perfect balance.

1979 Pichon Lalande – A great bottle of Pichon.  The nose was fantastic showing classic earth notes with dried fruits and subtle spice. The palate was softer than the Cos but no less complex showing hints of leather and fruit preservative.

1963 Dows – Roasted blueberries, cranberry, blackberry, with liquorish and sandal wood. The palate was chewy with smooth tannins and a little alcohol heat. There was a faint hint of bitter nut skin on the finish.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Member services, Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | January 12, 2011

Thirsty Business

By: AJ McClellan

Working on a Tuesday is such thirsty business… It is always a pleasure to have a few members drop in so we can crack a couple of bottles and tell a few stories.

2005 Domaine Lionnet Terre Brulee Cornas – Tight as a g-string on a whale. This wine needs a lot of time in the bottle before you should even think about popping the cork. The next morning the wine finally opened up to show mocha, deep black and blue fruits, tobacco, rich floral notes, melted chocolate, and crushed rock minerality. The palate smoothed out and showed a budding complexity that makes me think that in 10-15 years this wine will be absolutely brilliant.

1978 Montrose – Old and dusty. The wine grew in the glass a little but it is a wine that is past its prime. The wine had a nose of blueberries and blackberries that have been left out in the sun to long, left to dry on an old moist wooden plank. There were notes of spice on the back end as well. The palate was much of the same, showing old dusty fruit and a thin mid palate. Moderately complex but past its prime…

1982 Cos d’Estournel – We have been tasting a lot of this wine recently and with good reason. This bottle has consistently been fantastic, showing ripe fruits and old world funk. The nose was complex and elegant but with a brutish power lurking in the background. The palate was an iron fist covered in a velvet glove, soft and supple but with a weight on the mid palate that was very pleasing. As much as I hate to admit it, this is a perfect example of how Bordeaux out matches Burgundy – Old reliable!

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Tasting Notes

Tagged as , ,

by | January 11, 2011

Chips and Krug. It’ll change your life…

By: AJ McClellan

It all started when Simon was just a lad and one day whilst headed home he happened to view a shop owner by the name of Charley making fresh chips. Charley worked the press with lightning speed and Simon was mesmerized with the chip press, swearing that one day he would own his own and make chips with the same accuracy and speed in which Charley the chipper did.  Well, ladies and gentlemen, that day has come at last! Simon has found his chipper and we here at Graileys have found the perfect wine pairing for freshly fried chips, Krug of course…

What started out as a joke quickly turned into what might be one of the most brilliant food and wine pairings of our time, Chips and Krug. The salt and crisp texture of chips with the effervescence and acidity of the wine is a perfect combination! After having Simon whip us up several rounds of chips and opening several more bottles of Krug it was unanimously decided that the food pairing was a great success.

The Chipper in action

I know it’s a tiny fryer, but you work with what you got…

After we congratulated ourselves on a job well done it was time to open some wine in celebration….

2008 Sea Smoke Ten Pinot Noir – I have heard a lot of negative comments about Sea Smoke so I approached this bottle with caution. However, after trying the wine I was pleasantly surprised to find a very refined nose of bright elegant fruits and a soft well developed palate with a complex finish.

2007 Perrot Minot Vosne Romanee 1er Les Beaux Monts - Bright violets with a subtle cooking spice on the nose. Beautiful bright blueberries and black cherries on the palate with light tar notes, crisp acidity, and a long complex finish. This wine was drinking exceptional right now but I can only imagine how much better it will be with ten years of age on it…

1997 Louis Jadot Chevalier Montrachet Les Demoiselles GC- An ever so lightly oxidized nose showing caramel pear, yellow roses, and a dollop of honey drizzled over freshly sliced peaches.  The palate is thick in the mouth with notes of mixed nuts, vanilla bean, and stone fruits. It had a long finish but not as complex as I would like it to be on the backend.

1995 Guigal La Turque - Big pepper with pepper and more pepper, smelling this wine almost makes me sneeze… The palate showed smoked game meats seasoned with pepper, of course, with cloves and a blackberry jam spread. Once you get past the huge spice there is a subtle rocky minerality and notes of leather and tobacco. An excellent bottle of wine but it needs more time.  I felt that the huge pepper overwhelmed the wine and knocked it out of balance, with a few more years that should mellow out and help the wine to balance.

2001 Cos d’Estournel – I was very impressed with this bottle of wine. The best of both worlds, big ripe fruit with a nice earthy background. The nose showed sweet black fruits with a hint of earthy truffles and liquorish. The palate was complex but still young showing overripe black currants with spice box and a long earthy finish.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , ,

by | January 7, 2011

Classic Graileys

By: AJ McClellan

Another classic night at Grailey’s; a few members dropped in and popped some great wines around the table.

1982 La Lagune – I have constantly been impressed by this wine; a 3rd growth from the Medoc, this wine constantly provides exceptional quality for the price. Classic forest floor and damp earth with dry, dusty red fruits and notes of cassis and leather.

2008 Robert Foley Merlot – Fruit forward with ripe blue and black berries on the nose. The palate showed excellent balance with acid, tannin, and fruit in perfect harmony.

2006 BV Georges de Latour Cabernet – Big and bold with huge ripe berries on the nose followed by spice box and cigar cuttings.

2008 Sea Smoke Southing Pinot Noir – Bold for Pinot but with a touch of finesse that makes the wine drink like silk. Red currants with wild flowers and a hint of spice.

1999 Pichon Lalande – This Pichon was slightly disappointing. The wine seamed old and to limp along on the palate. With notes of cooked fruit and burnt earth this wine was not the best example of Pichon I have ever seen.

2005 Soma Limited Private Reserve Cabernet – Big ripe fruits with a subtle backdrop of spice and flowers. Smooth tannins and well balanced.

2001 Cos d’Estournel – The ‘01 Cos was drinking beautifully. The nose was bright and vibrant still showing ripe crisp fruit but also exhibiting an earthy bouquet that completed the wine, balancing out the nose and making a great impression. The palate was like a tiger with strong tannins and lighting like flashes of fruit and earth clashing on the palate.

2006 La Vigne d’Argent Bordeaux Blanc – Light and crisp with a creamy mid palate. Quaffable wine.

2007 Le Serre Nuove – The second label of Ornellaia, this bottle is a great bargain bottle. Raspberries and black cherries with hints of cooking spice and a nice vanilla finish. The tannins are perfectly integrated and the wine has a very smooth finish.


 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fine Wine

Tagged as , ,

by | January 4, 2011

Guigal and More

By: AJ McClellan

Patrick Will, the national sales rep for Guigal stopped in today to taste us on some of the Guigal wines as well as a few other jewels. I am always excited to taste wine from one of my favorite winemakers, but these wines blew me away. Not only were they very well priced but the quality was overwhelming.

2006 Guigal Cote du Rhone Rouge – Ripe fruits with black currants and think tobacco on the nose. Nice mid palate with roasted red and black fruits.

2005 Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape – Big funk with forest floor and sweaty gym sock on the nose. The palate was comprised of sweet chewy tannins with ripe red fruits and a bloody beef finish.

2003 Guigal Hermitage – Dark red roses with smoked gamy meats and sweet overripe fruits on the palate. The wine has a great body and excellent balance. Light tobacco leaf notes with dry cracked dirt studded with small smooth stones and a finish of chewy tannins.

2006 Guigal St Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice – Very spicy nose with notes of game, smoke, and saddle leather. The palate is well balanced with great structure. Notes of white pepper with gun powder and a finish of cooked lamb show off on the palate.

2009 Guigal Cote du Rhone Blanc – Thick pear with cooked apricot, stone fruits, white roses, and a nice limestone minerality on the nose. Fat on the palate with a waxy texture. Nice acidity and brilliant balance

2005 Baumard Savennieres – Kiwi on the nose with crisp lemongrass. The Palate reminds me of zebra stripe gum with a zingy acidity and a finish of schist. Great mouth feel.

2006 Dog Point Section 94 Sauvignon Blanc - Coconut husk, slight gasoline notes, pineapple, and cream corn with a hint of asparagus and lemonhead candy on the nose. The palate has a wonderful and unique mouth feel with a strong steely mid palate and chewy texture that cotes the mouth with a unique finish. Great minerality and perfect balance of acid with a long finish. WOW


 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , ,

by | December 30, 2010

Burg and Bordeaux

By: AJ McClellan

Even on a slow night you never know what is going to happen at Graileys. One second you think you are going to be headed home early, the next you have two of your favorite members drop in and a few glasses of world class juice at your fingertips… Life is good

2008 Domaine Bertagna Vougeot 1er Les Cras – This is a very unique wine. Coming from Vougeot in the Cote du Nuits, a predominantly red wine growing region, this stunning example of chardonnay has set itself apart from the pack with its power and unique structure. Needless to say, I was very impressed with this wine… The nose was fragrant and complex showing white summer flowers, melted caramel, and toasted popcorn. With more time in the glass the wine seemed to expand giving off elegant mineral notes of limestone and slate. The palate was wonderful full and rich with a creamy texture and a mouthful of complexities. Notes of honeyed pineapple, and caramelized peaches mated perfectly with the subtle minerality and pleasant toast. For sure this will be a wine to contend with after 10 or more years in the bottle. I was astonished at the great price point for this wine, for only $110 a bottle this wine punches way above its weight class and is perfect to lie down in the cellar.

1990 Latour – In 1997, this wine scored a lofty 98 points by Mr. Parker, in 2000 it was downgraded to 96 points and in 2009 it was downgraded again to a 95+. While still having an impressive score the track record of this wine is not impressive. I have tried this bottle on three separate occasions now, and I must say that while last night’s example was the best I have had there might be another downgrade in this wines future…  I feel like all the components for a great bottle are lurking somewhere in this wine’s DNA,  but it has yet to come together and produce. Dried red and black fruits on the nose with a distinct barnyard note showing on the back end. There is a hint of potpourri, graphite, and moist earth but they are muddled hiding in the depths of this wine…  The palate was more of the same with some great classic components but like a collection of malformed Lego blocks, the wine refuses to come together properly…  All that being said the wine is still not horrible, only disappointing for the pedigree and vintage. I foresee 93-94 points in this wines future.

I think the Domaine Bertagna is a great deal, but we only have 12 bottles available. If you would like to pick some up just Click Here

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fine Wine

Tagged as ,

by | December 29, 2010

Members Appreciation Day… Again…

By: AJ McClellan

A few of our members missed our appreciation day last Thursday; so in true Grailey’s spirit we decided to pop a few bottles which then turned into another great Grailey’s night…

1986 Guigal La Turque – The nose was magnificent with smoke, tar, big leather, and roasted herbs backed by black and white pepper with a hint of boiled cabbage. The palate was immense with a wonderful blend of sage, thyme, and lavender being sprinkled over a cooking pig as it is being smoked above an open camp fire.  Massive smooth tannins prance down the catwalk of your palate showing off moist black earth, exotic herbs, black liquorish, and a feast of smoked meats. The acidity was crisp contributing to a stunning mouth feel and the finish goes for miles making the perfect encore to the sip you just enjoyed….

1994 Alois Lageder Lowengang Chardonnay – Pure Crème Brule on the nose with a very plush mouth feel. The palate showed caramelized burnt peaches and pears. Surprisingly complex on the mid-palate, with an orange blossom finish.

2008 Robert Foley Claret - Giant ripe currants, blackberries, and cherries with big tobacco and massive… well… fruit… The palate is a giant wall of tannins coated with a thin layer of velvet; behind the wall you get an explosion of fruit with tobacco and wood spice. Needs a year or two to settle down…

2006 Faiva La Magdalena – Bold on the nose with ripe fruits and subtle spice followed by drying flowers and cigar box. The palate was soft and supple with a great mouth feel.

1996 Dom Perignon – Another brilliant example of Dom Perignon. Pear cider with light apricot extract and some vanilla on the nose. Freshly rising bread with a dazzling acidity and succulent toasty notes. Wonderfully complex with a montage of fruits, very long finish. The wine is drinking a little young but some time in the bottle will fix that, say about 15-20 years…

1986 Pichon Lalande – Forest floor, sweet leaf tobacco, ground red currants, and black cherries on the nose. The palate showed cigar box with light cooking spices and a prominent cinnamon note. The wine was surprisingly tight, needing 3-5 more years in the bottle.


Leave a Comment

Filed under Member services, Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | December 27, 2010

Members Appreciation Party

We had a great party last Thursday, the wine was flowing and the good times were rolling. We opened more bottles than I care to count, put out a great spread, and rocked out some outstanding juice.

The Highlights of the night included one of my all time favorite wines, the 1982 Pichon Lalande. The Pichon was showing great with a massive complexity and stunning finesse. Also, in the lineup was the 1989 Montrose, 1993 Grange, 1982 Cos d’Estournel, 1988 Sassicaia, 1986 Bruno Giacosa Falletto, and of course who can forget my old friend 1990 Guigal La Landonne with a finish to die for this and the Pichon were my wines of the night!

We had a great time and enjoyed some world-class wines. For those of you that couldn’t make it, I hope to see you next year!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

by | December 23, 2010

Getting ready for Christmas with a glass of wine…

By: AJ McClellan

The best way to fortify yourself for Christmas shopping is with a glass of fantastic vintage Bordeaux… Or at least that was the opinion yesterday when we had a multitude of members dropping in to enjoy a few glasses before facing the daunting task of  battling the crowds of Christmas shoppers.

2007 Davis Family Russian River Pinot Noir – Ripe red cherries on the nose with a crisp breeze of milk chocolate. A little one dimensional on the palate but very clean with ripe fruit and very crisp acidity. For the price point this is a nice wine…

1995 Palmer – Ripe sweet fruit with tobacco leaf on the nose. The palate showed notes of ripe black currants with sweet leaf tobacco and a steely minerality. Lavish and ripe in the mouth with smooth well integrated silky tannins.

1988 Pichon Lalande – Very youthful on the nose with black liquorish, slight hints of pine, and dry forest floor. The palate was full and weighty. Dark chocolate, cigar box, with plump lush tannins. Slight forest floor and notes of clean compost pile on the backend. Dry cooking spices on the soft finish.

1998 Pichon Lalande – Little Green on the nose with jalapeño and cooked bell pepper. There are notes of smoke with muffled plums and black currants intermingled with hints of earth.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Tasting Notes

Tagged as , ,

by | December 21, 2010

Monday Funday

By: AJ McClellan

Yesterday was easy going and relaxed. A few members dropped in and popped some great bottles. Today’s theme was Bordeaux…

2006 Pape Clement – Big coco powder on the nose with star anise, clove, dry foliage, and amazing ripe dark fruits. The palate was creamy and rich with blackberries, plum pie, red roses, and liquorish. The wine has an excellent balance with a long finish of chocolate butter.  This wine will continue to get better and better over the next 5-10 years, a real treasure…

1981 Pichon Lalande – Meaty on the nose with hints of cumin, lavender, cherry extract, and dry forest floor. The palate was thick showing smoked flavors backed by a great earthiness of forest floor and barnyard. Very complex with a great depth.

1998 Pichon Lalande – This wine was showing loads of funk with what reminds me of sweaty horse hide and saddle leather there was also subtle green notes on the back end. The palate was more subdued but still with loads of earth and minerality. The wine was a little thin on the palate but still showing well.

1997 Patrick Lesec Chateauneuf du Pape Galets Blonds – This wine took a little while to open up but once it did the wine showed smoked meats with beef blood and hints of iron. The palate was light showing floral notes and a mouthful of rocky minerality. The finished showed some fading red fruits which cut off after a few seconds.

1982 Cos d’Estournel – This wine is a closer. The nose was full and complex showing exotic spices, crushed blackberries, dark chocolate, and a moist earthiness. The palate was full as well showing espresso, tobacco, graphite, and liquorish. Very well made wine with opulent complexity and smooth silky tannins.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , ,