Graileys Fine Wines Blog

By: Wineaux DLynn P

Friday marked another great day in our new space. Appropriately, we decided on an impromptu You Show Me Yours event. This is a tasting that allows one to bring some of the best of what he/she owns from his collection and share with like connoisseurs. So we called a few friends, and as seats were being filled, bottles started to appear.

The first were two magnificent Napa Valleys Cults: 2000 Harlan Estate and 2005 Araujo Eisele Vineyard. The Harlan was as pure as anticipated, ripe cassis, anise, mocha, and a hint of vanilla extract(showing very well at 10 years of age) and then the Araujo single vineyard just exploded out of the glass. As massive as one could imagine, it did show some restraint. Powerhouse tannins, dark plum, allspice, and cinnamon, the Araujo was actually drank so fast, it didnt have time to hit another chapter.

More of the Graileys faithful started to pour in, and 3 more bottle hit the table. 1979 Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, 1958 Chateau Lafite and 1990 Chateau La Conseillante. Yes, Pichon is a staple at our table, but wow, the 1979 just does not know how to be anything less than spectacular. This vintage shows much more earth and forest floor characteristics, as well as, saddle leather, pencil shavings and just a touch of brett. The 1990 Conseillante, a vintage I have not tasted, blew me away. Unlike any other Pomerol, a certain unfamiliar meatyness and dried fruit note shaired the stage very well. More of a bayleaf, tar, chocolate combo, and blackberry, raspberry, pepper finish. Outstanding. My #3.

AJ McClellan(Graileys Sommelier) dissects 1958 Lafite

Ah yes, the 1958 Lafite, possibly on its last 10 year stretch, was still an amazing brick red, tawny to light brown rim. Notes of wet leaves, dried prunes, dried currants, and a gravelly meadow, led to a slightly fading tertiary hint of cedar, licorice, and tart plums. All who tasted it around the table loved the acid and tannin structure. All were pleased.

The next flight consisted of some real beauties.

As the table was now full, a myraid of bottles appeared. 1996 Noellet Romanee St Vivant was just wonderful. AJ quotes ” I only eat drink Burgundy with Filets!” , and the entire place explodes in laughter. Simon then proceeds to put that quote on the WALL. By this time I am eagerly waiting to taste the 2002 Masseto. A 100% varietal Merlot that saw its first vintage produced in 1986, then just called MERLOT. It was all that it should have been, slightly peppered, slightly gamey, slightly vegetal. Overripe dark fruits, jasmine, and coffee. Actually not my #1. The 1989 Angelus St Emilion stole my heart. It was probably one of the most visceral wines I had ever experienced. Only having had just a few vintages of Angelus(most of them recent) I couldnt stop talking about this wine all night. Lets just say, every component of the wine was balanced. Perfect acidity, perfect velvety tannin, rich earth, balanced wood, and the longevity of another 20 years.

And the last of these famed bottles included 1998 Maiden and 2001 Chateau Pavie. The Maiden was as good as we all expected. Both Harlan and The Maiden are wines which receive a lot of acclaim, and deliver most of the time. The Maiden is usually kept to about 700 cases of production and usually always hard to get. The 2001 Pavie, which was double decanted, was a fitting way to end the night. The second Classe B Cru of the night(Angelus), Pavie like Pichon, delivers from year to year to year. Always rich, yet elegant, Pavie offers loads of red fruits, new oak, and big tannin.

This was an amazing line-up of cults and classics, and we all left the bowling alley table feeling very good about the experience that we all shared. A few fallen soldiers: 1966  Margaux, 1995 Araujo, 1986 Montelena, didnt deter the evening. We popped more bottles and kept it going.

Till next post.