by | September 18, 2010

What Were You Doing in 1902?

By: AJ McClellan

Wine is a miraculous thing. You can taste almost every flavor imaginable in a bottle of wine, good and bad, everything from the sweetness of fruits and vegetables to the funk of wet earth, barnyard, and saddle leather. More than simple flavors wine gives you a sense of the ground it was grown in, no other beverage will allow you to take a vacation while relaxing in your living room. When you enjoy the bouquet of a wine you can smell the steep slopes of Northern Rhone, or imagine the sunny hillsides of Napa Valley. More than merely allowing you to experience a region wine gives you a sense of timelessness, a small moment in time frozen in a bottle waiting for you to experience it and enjoy what it has to offer.

What were you doing in 1902? Maybe attending the premier of the opera “Hunchback of Notre Dame” in Monte Carlo, or cheering for your favorite team in the 1st Rosebowl game… while you may not have been able to attend these events when you crack a bottle with over 100 years of age on it you get a glimpse of that moment in time and get to experience the same things that those people experienced.

In 1902 Portugal declared bankruptcy, and on a small island off the cost in Pico dos Barcelos of Madeira Barbeito was bottling an absolutely brilliant bottle of wine. With a nose of dust and crushed cloves mixed with dried cherries, currants, and plums this wine was pure ecstasy in the glass. The palate was syrupy with a heavy texture and loads of complex nuances. There were hints of tilled soil, balsawood, cedar, tar, leather, lavender, allspice, dusty dried fruits, and a small hint of sugar but with little to no sweetness. It is a bottle like this that makes you take pause and really appreciate how fantastic wine is…

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fine Wine

Tagged as

by | September 15, 2010

Jean Trimbach

By: AJ McClellan

We were honored to have Jean Trimbach in from Trimbach wines in to taste us on his truly special lineup of Alsatian wines. Jean is of the 13th generation of this prestigious family, when I commented on how fantastic his wines were he told me it was easy, it’s only the first 300 years that is hard…

2007 Trimbach Riesling Classic – There are no introductory level wines at Trimbach, starting their collection is the “Classic” Riesling and it lives up to its name. Clean and crisp with a structured minerality and lively fruit this wine is nothing short of classic.

2004 Trimbach Riesling Fredrick Emile – Everything that I love about Riesling is in this wine. There is a sharp acidity but balanced with plump upfront fruit of peaches and pears. There is a floral note of daisies and lilies backed by the classic petrol that you find in many high quality Alsatian wines. Perfect balance with a long finish.

2002 Trimbach Riesling Clos St Hune – The Clos St Hune is Trimbach’s top of the range Riesling from the Rosacker Grand cru vineyard, and while “Grand Cru” will never appear on the label there no do doubting the quality of this wine. Extremely complex in the glass with petrol, lemon, ripe peach, Asian pear, limestone, wild summer flowers, and a touch of honeysuckle on the back end. This wine has great aging potential and fantastic character.

2005 Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve – This is an interesting bottle with a label unique to the United States. Everywhere else in the world Trimbach keeps it traditional label for the Pinot Gris Reserve but in the US they changed it to depict Jean’s home town in Alsace. This was part of a marketing ploy to get Americans to buy more of the Pinot Gris seeing as it is a very easy drinking wine without the sharpness of the Riesling or the unique texture of the Gewurztraminer. The Pinot Gris is full of ultra ripe fruit with a touch of minerality on the back end. Very easy to drink with a nice finish.

2001 Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve Personelle – This is Pinot Gris for the serious wine drinker. While the Reserve was easy drinking and could be quaffed without much thought the Grand Cru Personelle Pinot Gris is a serious wine with many complexities and nuances to be discovered. Classic Petrol on the nose accompanied by mango and papaya showing more tropical notes than the linier Riesling. The palate was broad and weighty with white roses, schist, limestone, cobble, and tropical fruits. This was a truly fun wine to drink with a lot going for it.

2001 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Ribeaupierre – Another truly unique wine. The Grand Cru Gewurztraminer was everything one could hope for form this grape. Thick texture with a plethora of tropical fruits – pineapple, mango, green apple, and star fruit with a great mineral backing. In most Gewurtz wines there is a problem with balance because of the grapes naturally low acidity levels but with Trimbach’s there was perfect harmony to the wine.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fine Wine, Member services

Tagged as ,

by | September 7, 2010

Fantasy Island

By: AJ McClellan

When you walk into Graileys there is an atmosphere that swallows you, making you feel at home and relaxed. It is this atmosphere that has a way of making the hours pass like minutes creating a Las Vegas like effect allowing one to forget about the outside world and enjoy what they have in front of them. It is very possible to walk into Graileys looking for a bottle of wine to take home for dinner and end up surrounded by a group of friends and a plethora of wines eating dinner at the Graileys table… After experiencing this effect more times than a few one of our members lovingly gave us the nickname “Fantasy Island” – where time means nothing and all of your dreams come true.

It was one such nigh last Friday where one member after another walked in with a mind to only have a glass or two but ended up staying and helping to contribute to the growing pile of fantastic wines that we had strewn across the table.   It all started with our first Tasting of the month, Republic showed up with a bottle of the latest vintage of Rubicon and Rubicon’s second label Cask each of which were killer for their price point. After that the bottles started to open and our table’s collection of wines began to grow.

Next wine to hit the table is an old regular here at Graileys – 1981 Pichon Lalande with classic Bordeaux written all over the inside of the glass this was a great way to start the night. Several other members walked in all contributing their own bottle to the table one with a 1995 Bryant which spoke of tropical fruits and exotic spices, the other a 2001 Haut Brion with boisterous tannins and powerful fruits backed by rustic earthy aromas. These wines could not be farther apart and yet there was a strange similarity that I found in the two wines that intrigued me.

By the time we were half way through our most recently opened bottle we had 10 members around the table each with a bottle in hand and a smile on their face. 2002 Marcassin Vineyard Chardonnay made its way to my hand and after I opened it and poured the wine for the table it was time to open a 1997 Ornellaia which was drinking like magic showing perfect terroir of dusty fruit and old forest floor. Next bottle to the table was a 1991 Guigal La Landonne which has the title of being a 200 point wine due to the 100 point scores it received from both Robert Parker and Wine Spectator.

All the glasses were full and it was time to take a break from opening bottles, but not for long. After an hour or so the line of bottle began to grow and it was time to refill some empty glasses. 1989 Meo Camuzet Aux Brulees was next with a perfect balance of acidity and minerality coming together with a long complex finish. The next three bottles all came out at the same time to join their brother that was already on the table – 2001 Latour, 1974 Lafite, and 1990 Mouton. The First growths were singing! Each with their own unique personality. The Latour was bold and brutish with ripe fruit and funky barnyard on the back. The Lafite was soft and supple with a dusty earthiness and dried floral finish. Last the Mouton was a mixture of the two, power and finesse with fruit and earth combined into a brilliant wine that has a great capacity to age for another 20 years.

Unfortunately we did not get the opportunity to try a Margaux as everyone around the table had their fair share of wine, but I am sure there is a distinct possibility that next time we will make a concerted effort to stretch for that last bottle…

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | September 1, 2010

Domaine Leflaive

By: AJ McClellan

Domaine Leflaive makes some of the best white wines in the world. Without doubt the complexity, elegance, structure, and balance that Leflaive is able to attain in their wines is remarkable. Leflaive has an interesting story that matches their wines nicely. It all started in 1717 with Claude Leflaive settling in Puligny and on the domains present building. Back then he owned a mere 5 hectares, all of which all was sold to other négociants. The Domaine was founded by Joseph Leflaive who bought 25 hectares of vineyard after the phylloxera louse devastated the Burgundian vineyards and brought the cost of land to an all time low. Starting in 1920 Joseph started to replant his newly acquired vineyards and with the help of his vineyard manager, Francois Virot, they picked out new root stocks that were better adapted to the land. After the vines matured Joseph gradually started to sell wines under his own label.

After Joseph passed away in 1953 his four children (Anne, Jeanne, Joseph, and Vincent) decided to keep the Domaine whole rather than splitting is up amongst themselves and created a SCE operating company in 1973. Jo (Joseph) took over the Domaines administrative and financial management while Vincent took care of the vineyard and the wine. This is when Domaine Leflaive started to build a reputation for excellence and unsurpassed quality.

In 1990 the family appointed Anne Claude, Vincent’s daughter, as joint manager along with Oliver, son of Jo. In 1993 Anne took over full control of the Domaine while Oliver left to concentrate on his négociant company.

We were lucky enough to have the importer of Domaine Leflaive come in and taste us on a lineup of the newly released vintage of their wines.

2007 Domaine Leflaive Macon-Verze – Big lemon/lime zest with a great minerality and searing acidity. This is a great everyday drinker and a nice introduction into Leflaive’s wines.

2007 Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc – The Bourgogne Blanc is a deal year in and year out. This is the declassified juice from their vineyards and punches way above its weight with a smooth palate of dry tea leaves, banana leaf, lime bubblegum, and perfumey white flowers. With a long finish of limestone minerality pared with crisp acidity this is a great go to wine in its price point.

2007 Domaine Leflaive Meursault Sous le Dos d’Ane – This is an elegant beast with freshly picked apricots and peaches paired with muddled white flowers and a touch of tartness. Broad on the palate with a long finish.

2007 Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet – The entry level Puligny Montrachet, this is a great value wine. You have the heaviness on the palate and a touch of honey that will develop over time. The fruit is coy at first but grows in the glass showing green apples and unripe apricot. There is a touch of lemon zest on the finish with a floral nuance and the classic minerality.

2007 Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Clavoillon – Another barge wine, if you want an entry level 1er cru this is a stellar choice.  Heavier on the palate with more crushed stone and unripe fruit. The acidity was a little sharp but that will be mellowed by time in the bottle.

2007 Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres – This was my favorite 1er of the lot. Loads of white summer flowers with mountain of limestone behind it. Grilled peaches and Asian pears combine with a touch of honey and hints of crushed vanilla bean. The palate is smooth and lingering with a great acidity and lasting finish. This wine will stand the test of time, the longer you can wait to drink it the better it will become.

2007 Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles – Great wine with a fantastic complexity of fruit, minerality, spice, and floral components. Lacking the complete picture that the Les Folatieres was showing but I am sure after half a decade in bottle this wine will come together nicely.

2007 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenuess Batard Montrachet – Wow. This wine showed it Grand Cru status in spades. Honey, limestone, vanilla, citrus, tropical fruits, and stony denseness. This wine has a long while to go but every year it will pick up speed.

2007 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet – Wow, Wow – yes folks that is the rare and illusive double wow… I can only imagine what this wine will do in a decade or two. It had everything the Bienvenuess  Batard Montrachet had and more adding layers of complexity and combining it with a silky texture that coats the palate turning into a 90 second finish. Amazing wine that make you realize how special Burgundy is and what it can accomplish.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as ,

by | August 26, 2010

Dave’s Departure

By: AJ McClellan

All good things must end and after his short stay Dave was leaving to head back up to Boise. Here at Grialeys it seems like we can find an excuse to open a great bottle of wine no matter what; we took this opportunity to pop a few and before Dave could get on his plane we had a litter of bottles in front of him to send him off in style…

1997 San Filippo Brunello – This is a Great example of Brunello. Classic earthiness but with a strange fruit forwardness like candied grapes. The back of the palate showed big black liquorish with dried black berries, crunchy blueberries, and sour cherries. Rocky minerality with slate and limestone. Long finish and very impressive and full in the glass

1986 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Corton – This wine blows me away! Butterscotch, honey, toasted almonds, hazelnut, ripe Asian pear, quince, lilies, rose petals, and limestone on the nose. A complex poem of flavors paired in stanzas of fruits and flowers followed by minerality and earth and finished off with a coup de grâce of toast and honey. The finished lingers for more than a minute leaving you with a ghostly impression of a beautiful hillside blooming with flowers and bathed in honey…

1996 Marcassin Hudson E Block vineyard Chardonnay – Out of all of the Marcassin wines we have had recently this one was a little disappointing. It was still a great wine singing of lilacs, honey comb, pears, apricots, and a great minerality of slate and limestone. I don’t know if it is because it followed the Briailles or if it just wasn’t as put together as the other Marcassin wines we have had…. Don’t get me wrong, this wine would still blow out any other wine tasting, but in the present company I was just a little underwhelmed….

2002 Masseto – I blushed as I committed infanticide by opening this bottle, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do… A tight core of ripe cherry, currant, plum, tobacco, leather, hard packed earth, black coffee, and peppercorn. Drinking with a soft silkiness even in its youth but with a tight tannic structure that made it hard to not look like Dolly Parton from the severe pucker factor. At the end of the night the tiny morsel of wine that I had left in my glass began to open up showing big tobacco, caramel nuts, rich red/black fruits, and black dirt. I would recommend opening this wine 4-5 hours before serving it. In 20+ years this wine will be a stunner!

1978 Cheval Blanc – Dried prunes with crushed dried leaves and slight red liquorish. Crushed red raspberries and crumbled milk chocolate followed by loads of tilled earth with soft well worn leather notes and dried cassis. The palate was like lying between silk sheets; soft with crisp cool acidity and a finish like rolling into a pile of leaves in fall.

1998 Rayas – Rayas has always been one of my favorite Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s made from 100% Grenache it speaks of elegance from a region known for power and brute strength. White pepper, clove, spiced plum pie, and smoked bacon on the nose. The palate was smooth and easy going peppered with cherries, plums, saddle leather, and loads of white pepper. Long floral finish of purple roses and violets.

1981 Jaboulet La Chapelle – Drinking as beautifully as we expect from La Chapelle. Tilled earth, saddle leather, smoked meats, game, pepper, and meaty plums on the nose. The palate was robust and chewy with silky tannins.

1988 Filhot 375ml – Floral nose with big white flowers coupled with dry green apples and light hay. Soft on the palate with honey and creamsikle. A little light for a Sauterne but drinking really well.

1981 D’Yquem – The 81 D’Yquem has been bashed in just about every review I have read, however this is the second time I have tried this bottle and it is absolutely astonishing! Honey covered toasted almonds with caramelized apricots and pears served with dried white flowers and succulent tropical fruit medley. Chewy on the palate with a vibrant acidity and a hint of sweetness that have been softened by time.

See you next time Dave!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Member services, Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | August 20, 2010

Dave is in town…

By: AJ McClellan

There is something about the week that Dave comes into town that makes people want to come by and open fantastic bottles of wine. This week was off to a great start with Dave fresh off the plane and a table full of members the corks started to fly and the wine started to flow.

1992 Chehalem Pinot Noir – This was an old Graileys wine that we had stashed away in the cellar. After blowing the dust off the bottle I popped the cork and was surprised to discover a lively wine full of old world must and dusty fruit. The palate had a lively acidity coupled with an earthy backbone and spicy finish.

2000 Leoville Barton – The Leoville Barton was still very young with ripe black fruits and a tight tannic core, but after some time in the decanter the wine started to loosed up and show notes of cedar, vanilla, lavender, and chocolate. This wine has a lot of potential but needs another 5 – 10 years in the bottle.

1977 Latour – This is the fourth time that I have had this bottle and it has gotten better and better every time that I have had it. Coming from an off vintage the expatiations were low for this First Growth but upon opening the wine was showing every bit like the title that it carries. Great earth, forest floor, barnyard, and compost soil on the nose. The palate had a core of dusty red fruits – raspberry, currants, and red cherries. The finish was complete and lengthy with tobacco, earth, tobacco, and clove. The wine was a little light on the palate but all in all it was drinking great right now.

2007 Rivers Marie Cabernet Sauvignon – This wine, by Thomas Rivers Brown, has been making a big splash in the wine community recently. I have been following Thomas Rivers Brown for a while and I enjoy the wine he makes and given the opportunity to try this Cult Cab I jumped at the chance. Big chocolate covered cherries, with loads of spice and a backing of gripping tannins that are well integrated. The wine was a pleasure to drink with classic New World jamminess but not overdone. For the price point this is a great little wine.

1983 Pichon Lalande – Classic Pichon. Tilled earth with sweet tobacco smoke, dried currants, cracked earth, and crushed stone on the nose. The palate was silky with cracked pepper, clove, vanilla bean, cedar, pine nuts, plums, and cobblestone. Long finish and weighty complexity.

1994 Marcassin Upper Barn Gauer Vineyard – Marcassin Chardonnays are quick becoming my favorite New World white wine. Slightly closed upon opening but after half an hour in the glass the wine really started to flourish. White summer flowers with caramel and butterscotch spilling form the nose. The palate was chewy with more honey, grilled peaches topped with vanilla ice cream, caramelized pears, white roses, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. The long lasting finish that I have come to know and love from Marcassin was there and going strong for 45+ seconds.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | August 18, 2010

Just another day in Graileys….

By: AJ McClellan

Sometimes the impromptu tastings are the most fun, and on any given day it can happen. All it takes is one member to plop down a great bottle and we are off to the races with everyone pulling out that special bottle that they have wanted to share.

1999 Penfolds Grange – This 99 Grange is possibly the best vintage I have had since the 82 we tried last year. A sweet nose of fresh bluebonnets on the side of the road surrounded by rich green grass and the light lingering aroma of exhaust from the tailpipe of a passing car. The palate exhibits classic light notes of barley and wheat with red violets and Bing cherries. After opening up for another hour the wine evolves showing deep black fruits while still hanging onto massive tannins with a back end of ultra ripe blueberries and notes of freshly cut grass. After another hour the classic eucalyptus and mint start to come out as well as restrained sandalwood, leather, and tobacco smoke. A weighty, robust wine with gigantic tannins and a well integrated alcohol structure.

2005 Arcadian Francesca – Arcadian wines have always impressed me, when I tasted this one blind I called it 96 Vosne-Romanee… Juicy pomegranate with dark currant, cassis, and tilled earth on the nose. The palate was alive with acidity and showing great earth aromas with a rich red and black fruits.

1986 Pichon Lalande – Whenever a Pichon hits the table you know it is going to be good. This one was right on showing classic tobacco, leather, sandalwood, and crushed cobblestone with bramble and smokey red fruits. There was a slight spice on the back coupled with great earth, dried prunes, and raspberries. After some time in the glass the Pichon started showing dark damp earth with forest floor and dark musty fruits. A finish of crushed dry leaves and cigar box lingered for a good 45 seconds before dissipating. Soft in the mouth with pure elegance this wine easily has another 10 years to go.

1997 Il Carbonaione – A fun little Italian wine with red liquorish, big spice, and red fruits on the nose. When I first opened the Carbonaione I set it aside so that I could concentrate on the Pichon, well it turns out it is a good thing that I did because when I finally came back to it after several hours of sitting in the glass the wine had flourished into a complex beautiful example of Italian Sangiovese. Dry dusty cherry with cinnamon, clove, vanilla bean, dry leaves, and haystack sat perfectly undisturbed in the glass. A lingering aroma of smoke mixed with a cigar box made of sandalwood helped this wine to the next level as a fantastic Super Tuscan.

2005 Domaine de Montille Beaune 1er Les Greves – Bright Red Fruits, sour bing cherry and ripe blueberry with crushed limestone and tart raspberry. This wine has a lineal minerality cutting the palate. Cloves, red twizler, and a nice dry mushroom make up the back end with a finish of red roses.

2000 Marcassin Upper Barn – Toasted Popcorn with caramel toppings served rolled in white flower petals with crushed rocks sprinkled on top. There was a beautiful note of sugared honey comb with burnt matchstick and the always present limestone backing. A long lingering finish with crisp green apple, peach pith, and a crisp minerality. After opening up there was the butter topping for the popcorn with more seasonings of acid and minerality. Developed a great note of flint and tea on the back end after an hour in the glass.

1984 Bouchard Montrachet – Immediately upon opening the first word on everyone’s lips was “Wow”. The nose had a laser like minerality with tangerine oil, beeswax, dried pineapple, acacia flower, melon, lime leaf, and spearmint. The palate has a consistency of chewing on honey comb and a flavor of grilled pineapples drizzled with honey served with a side of quince and garnished with freshly budding white roses. With every passing second the wine changed and grew in the glass moving from one tropical fruit to another showing smoked peaches, caramel green apples, papaya, mango, and back to pineapple and Asian pears. Brilliant little wine with fresh acidity like it was bottled yesterday but a heavy mouth feel that that you chewing on the wine for a good minute after you swallowed the wine.

Wine of the Night!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | August 6, 2010

Pio Cesare

By: AJ McClellan

About two years ago, I was sitting at a table accompanied by some of Dallas’ finest sommeliers. We would meet once a week to go over theory and blind tastings for our sommelier exams. We were in the middle of blinding some wines when an English chap waltzed through the door, larger than life, and exclaimed in a booming voice that he had some wine for us to blind. After the room settled down he was introduced to me as a wine broker named Simon…

At the time we were all bringing $50 – $60 bottles to blind taste, and the oldest bottle I had ever had was no more than 15 years old. The first bottle that Simon poured for us was amber of color with an orange glow in the glass. I still remember how it filled the room with the aroma of fall, starting with dried leaves and baked apple pie and moving to a dusty cherry and dried rose finish. The mouth feel was like nothing I had ever had before with such elegance combined with raw power. After going around the table we ended up calling it a 1997 Barolo. It was close but no cigar; the bottle manifested from the bag and floored all of us when we discovered it was a 1978 Pio Cesare Barolo.

That bottle signified several things for me. First, it helped to fuel my love for Italian wines and Pio Cesare in particular. Second, it was a bottle from a place called Graileys that Simon had just found. And third, it introduced me to Simon and set me on the journey of which I am now a part.

When Pio Boffa, the owner of Pio Cesare, came through our door early last week I couldn’t wait to meet him. Pio was a great guy with a joking personality but a certain intenseness about him with regards to his wines. That intensity really shows through in his wines, with each bottling showing great focus through mutable layers of complexity that make them an absolute pleasure to drink.

Pio Boffa, owner of Pio Cesare, with his spectacular lineup of world class Italian Wines.

2009 Pio Cesare Cortese di Gavi – Tropical melons with a hint of unripe cantaloupe on the back end. Crisp and clean on the palate with fresh pear and peaches mingled with a great minerality of crushed quartz and chalk. Very easy drinking and approachable.

2008 Pio Cesare Arneis – The Arneis had a touch of funk on it whereas the Gavi was much cleaner. More unripe apricots and lemons with white summer flowers.

2008 Pio Cesare Dolcetto d’Alba – Exceptional display of what Dolcetto can do. This wine reminded me of a very high quality Beaujolais with fresh lively blueberries and ripe plums. There was a slight note of barley, adding complexity and a backing of clean cobblestone. Very clean wine that is light on its feet.

2008 Pio Cesare Barbera – Great flintiness upfront with a hint of gunpowder and big dark red fruits backed by a touch of black pepper and cooking spice. There is a very nice floral aspect to this wine with blooming purple flowers interwoven through the wine. The finish was long with a hint of mushroom and barnyard.

2006 Pio Cesare Nebbiolo – Sour cherry, ripe sweet plum, big slate, lavender, and red roses on the nose. The palate was slightly tart with the classic Nebbiolo gripping tannins and light body. Great finish of tobacco and smoke.

2005 Pio Cesare Barbaresco – Nose of violets, purple iris, clove, lavender, cinnamon, dill and cumin. The palate took a moment to unwind with burnt vanilla, tobacco, black pepper, and a crisp minerality. Mouth drying tannins with a refreshing acidity make for a great experience.

2005 Pio Cesare Barolo –Earthy with cracked black pepper, vegetable ash, soot, and mushrooms but with big fruit of ripe plums and overripe blueberries. There was a great minerality of slate and cobble stone with interchanging layers of fruit and earth building on each other. Tilled earth and ripe berries fighting for the forefront of the wine with flint, steel, and spice all lingering in the back. The tannins were gripping and the acid crisp; drinking this wine was almost an exhausting experience when trying to unwind the complexities and subtle minutias.  This wine needs a good 15 years to start to calm down but once it does it will be a great wine!

2006 Pio Cesare Barolo – More fruit forward then the 05 with a more approachable tannin structure and body. No less complex though, with dusty cherry, sweet plum, black currants, and stewed strawberries covering a minerality of crushed rock and cigar box.

It was like meeting one of my childhood hero’s…

Leave a Comment

Filed under Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , ,

by | August 2, 2010

You Show Me Yours, I’ll Show You Mine Part Cinq – First Flight

By: AJ McClellan

Every once in a while we have 10 of our members in and ask them to bring out the best bottle of their cellar to share with the table. This typically creates a battle royal with everyone trying to outdo everyone else in the attempt to bring the most impressive bottle. Today’s tasting was nothing less than epic and when the bottles came out it was anyone’s guess as to who would emerge on top with the wine of the night.

As usual everyone trickled in early and opened a few bottles to warm up the evening.

1975 Mouton – Dusty and rustic, the perfect start for the evening. The 75 was mature but not yet over the hill, soft fruity tannins with loads of barnyard and damp forest floor. The wine was drinking like pure silk with classic Bordeaux nuances of tar, spice, soft leather, and a mouth full of earth.

1989 Coron Nuits St George 1er Les Saint George – After a great Bordeaux to start us off one of our members decided to match it with a great little Burgundy. I had never had this producer before but the wine was singing. Well developed and slightly heavy for a Burgundy but what else can you expect from Nuits St George…  Dark raspberries on the nose backed by wild currants and notes of lavender and sage. The palate was floral with violets, deep red roses, and hibiscus backed by hay and soft red fruits.

2008 Kesner Pinot Noir – This was a very interesting little pinot, light on its feet and packing a punch of bright red fruits with a subtle undercurrent of minerality and earth.

First Flight

1990 Montrose – The Montrose was disappointing for a 100 point wine. The classic Bordeaux characteristics were there but I think the bottle saw some heat somewhere in its life. The fruit, while ripe, had a slightly stewed character on the end and the back end was not showing the way I had hoped. We allowed for plenty of time for the wine to open up but it never reached its full potential. That being said, in the blind format we were tasting in there some was confusion as to which wine was the Montrose and which was the Cheval Blanc…

1996 Claude Dugat Charmes Chambertin – Soft and silky with a slight sweetness of cherry cola. The nose was miraculous with a complex mixture of black cherries, dark overripe blueberries, cinnamon, vanilla bean, dusty trail, and dry leaves. The palate was as crisp and refreshing as a splash in the face from a clear cold stream after a long hike through the mountains. Every moment the Dugat was open it became more complex, revealing new intricacies with soft wild flowers and deep dish cherry pie. The earth was ever evident with the perfect balance of fresh soil and old compost.

2001 Harlan – Monstrous wine with such bold fruit that I almost forgot that it had any tannin or alcohol in it… A great example of new world wine that screamed for a fat rib eye steak. The fruit was almost overwhelming but after some time in the glass I found it fading by a touch and I was able to pick out some light hints of cobble and cigar box followed by clove and anise.

1982 Cheval Blanc – Soft and silky in the glass. Brilliant wine with soft red fruits and a complex web of interwoven fruit, earth, coffee, and spice with a great tannin structure and finish. I saved my glass of Cheval Blanc till almost the end of the night and after another two hours of opening up this wine began to radiate with crisp minerality, soft moist earth, and roasted red fruits that still showed a hint of sweetness. There was a definite note of mocha on the back end of the plate and a great finish of cigar box stuffed full of spices and chocolate.

1986 Cheval Blanc – There was some confusion around the table as to which wine was the Cheval Blanc and which was the Montrose so one of our members opened the 86 Cheval Blanc to give us a hint. The 86 was drinking almost as well at the 82 and after showing the softness of tannin and supple red fruit there was no question as to which wine was the Cheval and which the Montrose.

1983 Trimbach Clos Ste Hune – I would challenge anyone who does not believe in Riesling, or for that matter white wine, to taste this wine and still retain their prejudice. I decanted this wine an hour before service and it could have used another two or three hours to reach its full potential. An irresistibly complex nose of spiced honey, caramelized apricots, toasted almonds, petrol gas, and crushed rock combined with a delectable palate of apricot, peach, and nectarine jam that has been mixed with jagged rocks, honey comb, coriander, lemon zest, and burnt hay, showing that white wine can be a contender even amongst some of the most prolific wines of the world. The Clos Ste Hune showed mutable fazes of intensity and waves of flavor every time I tasted it; with every sip this wine introduced a new element showing dazzling minerality and brilliant acidity. Wow…

Leave a Comment

Filed under Member services, Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | August 2, 2010

You Show Me Yours, I’ll Show You Mine Part Cinq – Second Flight

By: AJ McClellan

Second Flight

1994 Maya – Soft tannins with black raspberries and chocolate covered tar bubbles. There was a slight hint of sweet oak in the form of cedar and fresh pine needles. The finish was super smooth with a subtle spice and long vanilla extract lingering on the palate.

1989 Haut Brion – Drinking every bit like a legendary Bordeaux with subtle chocolate – well worn leather, lush earth, and loads of crushed gravely rock. The nose was unmistakable and the entire table instantly agreed that this was the Haut Brion… The fruit was well integrated, showing deep black cherries and overripe black currants. The thing that sets Haut Brion apart for me is the rolling hillside of lush earth that allows you to close your eyes and imagine the countryside of Bordeaux. The layers of complexity sauntered from the glass revealing the subtle smoke of a cigar smoked yesterday and the rich coffee that helps you wake up in the morning combined. The next echelon hit with black tea, toasted vanilla, dark chocolate, and the perfume of a blossoming rose garden. Rich and opulent, this wine has decades ahead of it and will always be in the forefront of my mind when I think of epic Bordeauxs. 1994 Bryant – This wine had in it all the rowdy fruits of cassis, blueberries, black cherries, and plum amalgamated with violets and lilacs then topped with anise, clove, lavender, and allspice. The ripe berries gave an illusion of sweetness but a bone dry structure held fast against the tides of fruit and cooking spices. Upon diving into the wine you will find a core of soft earth and radiant sunshine that help to balance the wine and give it great depth. This wine is very well put together and goes to show what exactly what can be achieved with California vineyards.

1980 Guigal Lalandonne – In almost every wine tasting we have the Guigal wins the wine of the night; however this one never got the chance as it was flawed coming out of the gate… 1997 Rayas – Seeing as the previous flight had some help from the 86 Cheval Blanc, we decided to heat things up with the second flight and throw in a ringer to take the place of the Guigal. After several minutes of discussion the table was split 50/50 on whether our mystery wine was Burgundy or Rhone, which goes to show how similar the regions can be once they get some age on them. The main distinction for me was the mouthful of white pepper that that Rayas showed combined with the massive smoked game and leather. Once I pointed this out the group was quick to converge on Rhone and the majority did a great job of calling it late nineties Chateauneuf Du Pape.

1970 Fonseca Magnum – One of our members brought in the Fonseca for after the tasting but seeing as we had a Port in the lineup we decided to put the 70 in as a blind to see how it matched up against the 35. While the Fonseca was a great little Port with dried cranberries and toasted cedar notes it was no contest against the elegance of the Taylor.

1935 Taylor – We have had our fair share of magnificent Ports here at Graileys but the 35 Taylor was as near to perfect as I believe I have ever seen from a fortified wine. This bottle represents everything that vintage Ports hope to achieve. Upon decanting the nose was superb with melted chocolate, dark roasted coffee, blackberries, licorice, cinnamon, plum extract, and rich minerality. In the glass the wine was pure silk drinking with an elegance that would tie the most eloquent poets tongue in knots. The finish knew no end as if the wine’s essence was burned onto my taste buds… For me this was the wine of the night.

After the tasting we tallied everyone’s votes for first, second, and third place wines (forbidding anyone to vote their own wine #1) and declared a wine of the night. It was a close race with almost every wine getting a #1 rating. At the end it came down to a photo finish with people’s second and third choices coming into play to decide who would go home with the trophy. Third place was the 89 Haut Brion, second was the 35 Taylor, and, surprisingly enough, first place was the 94 Bryant Family Cabernet Sauvignon.

Ivan winning the Wine of The Night trophy for his 1994 Bryant.

After the tasting was over several members pulled some wines from their stash to share around the table.

1999 Fougeray de Beauclair Bonnes Mares GC – I am a sucker for Bonnes Mares and this bottle did not disappoint. Even after the great tasting we had had, this wine was showing well with a soft crispness that I have come to expect from this wonderful vineyard. Bright red cherries with lush raspberries and a great limestone minerality. Long finish and nonexistent tannins.

1966 Dows – In an attempt to capture the experience that the 35 provided we opened this wonderful Port. On any other night it would have blown me away with a soft well developed tannin structure and graceful balance, but tonight it only seemed clumsy and disconjointed.

2001 Pavillon Blanc – A great way to end the night. Easy drinking with soft crisp fruit. There was a very nice mixture of grapefruit, lemon, and guava leaning on a backbone of crisp minerality and white summer flowers.

You have to get the cork out somehow…

Leave a Comment

Filed under Member services, Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , ,