by | May 20, 2010

A Day In The Life Of Rosenthal Wines

By Wineaux DLynn Proctor

Yesterday marked another exciting visit from John Paine, Sales Director of the “Uber-Geek” Rosenthal Wine Merchant. When you hear of Rosenthals’ wines, one automatically thinks top-notch producers, incredibly small production, and some grape varieties that most have not heard of.  Famed producers include: Umbrias’ Paolo Bea, Juras’ Jacques Puffeney, Dauvissat, Arnoux, Bitouzet-Prieur, Yves Couilleron, and the one and only Le Pergole Torte from Montevertine.

Our line up was laiden with Premier and Grand Cru Burgs and niche Italians. It is not often that you go straight into a 2004 Remi Rollin Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru that on the nose smelled of Crème brûlée and orange zest. The palate followed with a slightly oxydized charm that only white burg could offer and exploded with honeysuckle, burnt popcorn, toast, and peach. The minerality was as “limestoney” as Charlemagne could offer. The finish seemed eternal, and……it was.

Next was 2006 Robert Arnoux Vosne Romanee 1er les Suchots. Storied Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards lay in this village and are probably the most expensive parcels of real-estate on the planet. This wine offered classic pinot minerality, toffee, dark roast coffee, cola and bing cherries. As the palate lingered,  an essence of Hawthorne and fresh currants emerged and wrapped around a note wet stone. Arnoux is truly a great experience.

In Umbria, there is the land of Montefalco which is home Paolo Bea. The family has been in this little hill town since the 1500’s and their wines are as idiosyncratic now as they have ever been. The 2005 Rosso de Veo made from 100% Sagrantino was indescribable. Literally. Blueberries, blackberries, cassis, are mingled with savory herbs and perfect notes of earthiness. Well, a lot of earthiness, it is Italian!

Of all the wines tasted yesterday, these are just a few of my highlights. Again, consistency, quality, and attention to vineyard and winemaking detail are what make this portfolio so incomparable. A lot like Graileys in the same sense. We are attentive to the producers we taste and carry, and we only put the best in front of our clients and the final reward for all is pure magic.

When you see this logo…expect greatness!      Ciao for now

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fine Wine, Member services, Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , ,

by | May 18, 2010

Dominus, Cristal and Pichon…Nice !

By: Simon Roberts

My old friend and importer Dominique Laurent from Maison Domaine and Estates came to visit yesterday. I like it when he comes, he brings me Cristal and Dominus to taste ! Last time he was here we busted out some great older Pichon Lalande, one of my favorite Bordeaux Estates. The good news is Dominique is now importing Pichon Lalande and we discussed and penciled in what is going to be a great tasting of older vintages at our new location in Sept…. we will keep you posted on time and date.

Dominique also imports Cristal and handles all of Christian Moueix wines, Petrus, Hosanna and  the always great Dominus Estate.. it’s always a pleasure.

2006 Dominus Estate –

The nearest thing to a great Bordeaux from the Napa for me. This bottle has been open all day and was showing wonderfully, great integration of fruit and oak, superbly balanced with notes of underbrush, soft cherry and plum.  ($109.- I have a few six packs available)

2006 Napanook -

The sibling that always hit’s the spot, there are not many Napa cabs as well made as this for the money, it’s ready to drink but will undoubtedly  get better over time, ($39.99- great for the $$$)

2002 Cristal –

What can one say about this –  overhyped ? Not for me, the market usually bears all and the truth is always in the bottle. This vintage is mind numbing good, yeasty,  with strawberry and butterscotch flavors that tickle the palate.I have been drinking a lot of good champagne of late and this bottle is way up there in the rankings!  ($225)  –

Leave a Comment

Filed under Tasting Notes

Tagged as

by | May 12, 2010

One of Those Days

By: AJ McClellan

Every once in a while all the craziness subsides and we have a calm day here at Graileys. Yesterday was one such day, and in celebration we sat back and enjoyed the beautiful day. Then in a spur of the moment decision – sparked and fueled by Dave – we cracked open a stunning bottle to match the fantastic day.

1964 Margaux – There are some bottles that you can watch the way it pours and know that it will be an exceptional wine, after I opened the bottle and poured the silken liquid from it I immediately had a good feeling about this wine. A pungent aroma of forest floor and damp earth floated out of the glass and filled the room before I could finish pouring the wine. The wine asserted itself as Bordeaux immediately with graphite and a slightly sour cherry backed by a sweet raspberry. There was a extra layer of baked spices and a deep roasted mocha. There was a slight green pepper hiding in the back but it was an added characteristic of the wine rather than a fault. The finish was long and impressive with great balance and surprising body for a 40 year old wine.

The wine mentioned above is available for sale. If you are interested in purchasing some vino please click here.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fine Wine

Tagged as

by | May 10, 2010

1989/90 Haut Brion

By: Simon Roberts

I always wondered what it would be like tasting these two legends side by side so in true Graileys fashion we just went ahead and did it !

We have been tasting some absolute superstar wines lateley but few have lived up to this pair. Both wines were the epitomy of  a great Bordeaux and for me there is very little between the two wines except price. The nose on the 90 spoke to me in a way great Bordeaux does, it seemed enough just to sniff away, sweet fruit, plain and simple- lush sweet fruit. I dove in, swirled it around my mouth and tasted the promised land….tabacco, hints of oak and cedar balanced perfectly against a wall of massive thick juicy fruit, can it get any better than this?  The wines  were tasted as usual in some great company, nothing beats sitting around this table with a good group, especially with these two monsters in the middle of the table!

Onwards and upwards, the 89….more of the same, just a journey in taste and aromatics. There is so much going on inside this glass, it  builds and builds on the palate, it’s just pure class, velvety soft fruits but very defined and just profound,  leaving  a huge impression on the finish. We let both wines sit for an hour and revisted with sparing sips, both wines were superb . I can’t say they improved , how could they ? They were stupendous out of the gate. I imagined what it must be like buying a wine like this back in the day for the release price and sitting on a bunch right now, what a cool feeling that must be. I will give the slight edge to the 89, but it is a slight edge. Value wise the 90 makes sense but with these wines are only for the strong..but if you can, why the hell would’nt you?

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fine Wine

Tagged as ,

by | May 7, 2010

A Great Day For Pinot Noir

By: AJ McClellan

We met James Beard award winning master chef and French Laundry partner Claude Koeberle over lunch while he was showing off his new vintage of Soliste wines. He was such a fun guy that we invited him back to the shop to sit back relax and have a good time. At the same time we had Nicole Abiouness stop by to show off her lineup of wines. Pairing these two characters together was hilarious to watch. Nicole blinded Claude on her wines and it was interesting to watch Claude name off the exact clones that she had used in her vineyards.

NV Krug Grand Cuvee – Nothing starts an evening out like a little bit of bubbly. Krug is possibly my favorite producer of Champagne and even their low end wine is superior to most other houses Tete de Cuvee. Imagine a rising loaf of sourdough bread with roasted vanilla beans baked inside and surrounded with apricots and ripe green pears being baked in a limestone oven.

2005 Domaine Dujac Morey Saint Denis – We had two exceptional producers of Pinot Noir so we had to open them up a nice bottle of Burgundy to start off with. The Dujac was singing with spicy dark fruits on the nose coupled with a peasant spice and rocky minerality. The palate was as exciting as the nose with exotic red fruits, big earth, and toasted oak.

Standing to the left is Claude Koeberle and Sitting to the right is Nicole Abiouness

1983 Faiveley Clos des Myglands Mercury – Goat milk with a big funk of morel mushrooms and barnyard. Candied cherries and freshly dug wet soil with big limestone minerality. Very complex wine with a long finish and super smooth tannins.

2006 Perrot-Minot Nuits st Georges Les Murgers VV – Great little wine, but far too young to be drinking at the moment. Cobblestone minerality with cinnamon and red liquorish. Clove, cinnamon, white pepper, and a slight wheat note on the finish.

2007 Soliste Pinot Noir Sonatera Vineyard – Big black fruits on the nose with powerful dark plums and earthy tones of mushrooms and forest floor. There is a slight herbaceous note on the back end giving you the impression of muddled mint and eucalyptus. The palate is powerful and fruit forward but with a surprisingly substantial earthy backing reminding me of a very young Burgundian wine.

2007 Soliste Pinot Noir L’Esperance Vineyard – More red fruit than black with a ripe raspberry, red currant, and rhubarb. There is a very pretty floral note of violets and red roses. The palate is softer than the Sonatera with a slight hint of sandalwood, strawberries, and schist. Elegant tannins and razor like acidity make this a wine worth putting down in the cellar for a good 5 to 10 years.

2007 Abiouness Hudson Vineyard Pinot Noir – Much more of a California style Pinot Noir with big lush red fruits and jammy raspberries. Bright acidity with ripe tannins on the palate and a subtle spice background.

Claude talking about the history of Burgundy

2006 Abiouness Stanly Ranch Pommard Clone Pinot Noir – This Pinto is in a darker style but still done in the big jammy fruit style. There was a basket full of plums, wild berries, and black cherries dusted with chai spices and cinnamon. Again there is a big tannin structure with a crisp acidity that holds the wine in good balance.

2006 Abiouness Sangiovese Eaglepoint Ranch – It is extremely difficult to make great Sangiovese in the new world but Nicole has done a superb job of it. Dusty cherry on the nose with a full palate of earth, mushrooms, dry leaves, leather, and tar. Brilliant finish of earth and dried fruits with a superb acidity and well developed tannins.

1996 Pichon Lalande – A brilliant bottle with a great deal of hopes behind it. Unfortunately when we opened it there was a stewed grassy aroma excreting from the bottle that rank of a flawed bottle.

1958 Lafite – Brilliant little bottle with a soft complexity that forced you to slow down and take your time to enjoy the intricate complexities in the glass. Light barnyard with classic graphite and cobble stone buried deep in the wet earth and baked under a hot sun. Candied cherry and smoked tobacco with a cigar box full of ash, cinnamon, and lightly broiled cloves. Long dry finish with extremely light tannins and a acidity that held the wine together nicely.

At the end of the night it is always fun to throw corks at the man on the balancing wire…




Leave a Comment

Filed under Member services, Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | April 30, 2010

Grateful Palate’s Chateau Chateau

By: AJ McClellan

R Wines Winemakers is an Australian based wine producing company that has vineyards form all over Australia, the best of which is their Chateau Chateau wines from McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley. R Wines was founded in 2005 by Dan Philips and Chris Ringland. Chris is one of world’s leading and most gifted winemakers out of Australia. He leads teams of winemakers and viticulturalists managing to their upmost potential. The Chateau Chateau wines are the pinnacle of his winemaking career and are all well-made, stylish, compelling, hand-crafted and peerlessly delicious.

Above is the owner of Grateful Palate Dan Philips

2007 Chateau Chateau Chateau – A blended Grenache that may be the pick of the litter in the Chateau Chateau Grenache series, melding of the spice and pepper of Ebenezer, the dark berry richness and chocolate of Marananga, and the solid structure of Stonewell Grenache.  

2007 Chateau Chateau Columns – One of the single vineyard icon Grenache in the Chateau Chateau series, from the Roeneldt Family vineyard in the Greenock sub-region of the Barossa. This vineyard is a real star, producing beautifully exposed loose clusters with small berries. The wine is made using exclusively old wood, with an emphasis on expression of fruit and no intervention. The true advantage of the sandy soils in the Greenock area is manifest with the terrific spicy, almost floral perfume the wine displays.

2007 Chateau Chateau My Sun Is Your Sun Stonewall – From the Pfeiffer Family vineyard in the Stonewell sub-region of the Barossa. The vineyard lies to the north of an old creek bed running in an eastern direction to the North Para River. The red brown earth and clay combination of the soil results in a Grenache with a rich, dark red berry, even black cherry, profile. The wine is made using exclusively old wood, with an emphasis on expression of fruit and no intervention. The expression is even more brooding and masculine than Grenache from the Marananga sub-region.

2007 Chateau Chateau Triumphal Arch Light Pass – An elegant, complex Grenache from the Light Pass area of the Barossa and one of the single vineyard icon wines in the Chateau Chateau series. Located in the lowest part of the North Valley sub-region, the area is essentially a small flood-plain for the North Para River as it emerges from the Barossa Ranges. The soils are deep and very fertile. The best red grape vineyards are on the eastern slopes of the Barossa Ranges and the Mader Family vineyard from which the wine is made is roughly half way up this slope. The Grenache is made using exclusively old wood, with an emphasis on expression of fruit and no intervention.

2007 Chateau Chateau Skull – The Chateau Chateau project is a study of the effects of soil and place and Skulls joined the series as classic expression of the Barossa region. The project brief describes the old vine Grenache/Mataro blend as “Sexy, sensual and dangerous, like a Nureyev and Fontayne pas de deux.” The optical play of artist Istvan Orosz’s Ship of Fools illustration captures the mercurial essence of wine.

2007 Chateau Chateau Leaf Turner – This is one of the few wines from Chateau Chateau that is not 100% Grenache. With a blend of 65% Mataro and 35% Grenache this is another superb example of terroir. Aged in French and American oak to add complexity and depth this wine demonstrates an expressive smoke, blueberry, and black berry jam. Very fruit forward with a smooth elegant finish.

2007 Chateau Chateau Pergola – This 110 case production Grenache is an excellent example of the potential Grenache can reach under the right circumstances. With a bouquet of bright cherries, leather, and toasted vanilla bean this wine is uplifting and a delight to drink. The palate is if anything more satisfying than the nose with a brilliant display of rhubarb, raspberries, and sandy soil.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fine Wine, Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , ,

by | April 28, 2010

Champagne Friday

By: AJ McClellan

Champagne is the drink of celebration; it has launched thousands of ships, toasted billions of weddings, and attended countless parties. Champagne has always been the wine of celebration; no other wine has been so closely associated with joy and festivity. What better excuse is there to pop a bottle of bubbly than a Friday?

MV Armand de Brignac Brut Gold Ace of Spades – Armand de Brignac is a unique Champagne in that their Tete de Cuvee is not a single vintage Champagne but rather a multi-vintage combining the vintages of 2002, 2003, and 2006 to make what is, in their opinion, the best blend of what all the different vintages have to offer. Also Armand de Brignac is one of the only Champagne houses to oak age their Dosage. When we tasted this wine it spurred a new tradition here at Graileys – Champagne Fridays. Baked green apples on the nose with sour pears and a clean toast. The palate had a light yeast with slight petrol notes backed by white flowers.
NV Laurent Perrier Rose – I don’t feel that we gave this wine enough breathing room after the Ace of Spades. Next to Armand de Brignac the Laurent Perrier was clumsy and brutish. Like sparkling strawberries with a creamy yeast layer and finished with red roses.
MV Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle – The Grand Siecle is Laurent Perrier’s Premier Cuvee and did a nice job when matched up against the Ace of Spades. The Ace of Spades was all about elegance and finesse while the Grand Siecle was raw power in the glass. Boisterous bubbles that fizzed with excited vigor, the palate was very creamy with caramelized green pears and huge toast tapering out to a long finish.
1986 Opere Franciacorta – We couldn’t let Champagne have all the attention so we threw in a fun little Italian sparkling to even the playing grounds. When we first opened the wine it seemed as if it was maderized, lacking character and showing a huge oxidized characteristic. After some time I revisited our Italian upstart and it was bubbling over with savory aromas. Big butterscotch with green apple jolly rancher, honeysuckle, and creamy apricots.
NV Godme Blanc de Noirs – This is a really fun grower Champagne that I love. Light and crisp with a great complexity of green apple, pear, lemon, summer flowers, and a slight spice.
1996 Pichon Lalande – Hey, even though it’s Champagne Friday that doesn’t mean we can’t drink some fantastic Bordeaux…  After drinking the Champagne the wine looked heavy in the glass, but after a moment of contemplating the wine, the aromas lifted out of the glass to tingle my nose, reminding me of freshly dug earth with a slate rock bed underneath. Then came the light licorice and sweet cassis notes, which prompted me to take a sip. The palate was wonderful with tingling spice including cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. A slight saddle leather nuance hung over the wine speared with pencil shavings and graphite and seasoned with tobacco smoke.
1996 Ducru Beaucaillou – One more Bordeaux never hurts. Bolder than the Pichon and with darker fruit. Big black cherries with black raspberries with an avalanche of clay, limestone, and schist. There was a subtle note of spice rack with a predominate rosemary influence and a finish of dark rose petals.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Member services, Tasting Notes

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | April 26, 2010

Opus One

By: AJ McClellan

We love it when big name winemakers come in to taste us on our wines, but it’s not every day that you get Opus One to come knocking at your door.

2006 Opus One – This was a wonderful wine, extremely well crafted. Big black raspberries served over crumbled dark chocolate then surrounded by small tart black cherries, cassis, currants, and topped with black liquorish. There was a pungent Vanilla aroma with clove, allspice, and cedar showing off the impressive oak aging. The wine reminds me of a blissfully sweet dark fruit served in perfect balance with tart chewy chocolate. Tannins smooth as silk, and a fantastic balance of fruit, oak, tannins, and body.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fine Wine

Tagged as

by | April 26, 2010

2010 Winemaker Tour Part I

By: AJ McClellan

Graileys always has something going on but today we experienced something truly special – the 2010 Winemaker Tour. Once a year a group of winemakers will get together and travel across the United States showing off their wine, everything from currant vintages to the older stuff from the estates cellars. This Tour was unique in the fact that the quality of winemakers that we had gathered was truly exceptional.

On the far left you can see Ted Edwards – Winemaker for Freemark Abbey

2008 Matanza Creek Sauvignon Blanc – Huge tropical nose singing with grapefruit, pineapple, mango, and guava. The palate was incredibly crisp with super sharp acidity the made my taste buds vibrate. There was also a very nice minerality of clay and cobble stone on the back. The finish had a slight green nuance with asparagus and green bell pepper.

2004 Matanza Creek Sauvignon Blanc – It was a real treat to see how different the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc was from the 2004. In 08 they use almost 100% Sauvignon Blanc while the 04 vintage had a good dose of Semillon in their wine giving it more of a white Bordeaux feel. Round on the palate with a slight creaminess like reduced vanilla extract. There was also a nice mellow green apple, rose petal, and lemon weaving in and out through the palate.

2007 Stonestreet Red point Chardonnay – This was an excellent example of California Chardonnay with pear, lemon, and a nice toast on the nose. The palate was soft and creamy with vanilla bean, green apple peal, and stone fruits.

2007 Stonestreet Broken Road Chardonnay – This Stonestreet was slightly fatter than the last with what felt like more oak weighing down the palate and bringing a coconut, toast, vanilla, and dill feel to the wine.

2007 Stonestreet Upper Barn Chardonnay – This was, in my opinion, the best of the bunch with a great balance of oak and fruit sewn together by a crisp acidity and finished with a pleasant loamy minerality.

2006 Stonestreet Christopher’s Cabernet Sauvignon – This was a massive little Cab with big crushed rocks, blueberries, charcoal, and graphite. Full bodied but drinking relatively smoothly for the huge tannin structure.

2005 Stonestreet Black Cougar Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon – This was one of my favorite Cabs of the whole event. Again there was a great crushed rock minerality but there was more red fruit with red raspberries, and red currant frolicking through the blueberry fields. A great smoky characteristic in the background and extremely smooth tannins.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fine Wine, Member services

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | April 26, 2010

2010 Winemaker Tour Part II

By: AJ McClellan

2007 Byron Sierra Madre Pinot Noir – I was a big fan of this Pinot Noir, done in a very light crisp style with crisp acidity and mellow tannins. Very floral on the nose with pure raspberries on the palate. This was a great expression of clean soft fruit.

2007 Byron Bien Nacido Pinot Noir – This Pinot was darker with black raspberries and dark cherries, the fruit was a little more muddled with a greater amount of oak aging. Still a very nice little wine but a little on the heavy side.

2007 Byron Nielson Pinot Noir – Dark fruit with a cedar and vanilla flowing through the wine. There was a nice minerality in the background adding complexity and the fruit was very expressive for the amount of oak aging done to the wine. This was a heavier style of Pinot Noir but to the wines credit it retained a great crispness which helped the wine to stay in balance.

This is after the hustle and bussle was over and the winemakers sat down to relax after a hard days work.

1996 Freemark Abbey Bosche Cabernet Sauvignon – Big and bold with a distinctive old world style on the wine.  Ted had been the winemaker in Freemark Abbey for close to 30 years and he has done a fantastic job. It is interesting to view a winemakers progression from one vintage to another but it is even more interesting to be able to watch them grow over a several decades worth of vintages.

2005 Freemakr Abbey Bosche Cabernet Sauvignon – You can tell that this is the same grapes from the same winemaker but done in a more modern style. I can see the promise in this wine and I am sure it will have the ability to age for a decade or more.

1987 Freemark Abbey Sycamore Cabernet Sauvignon – Mellow red liquorish with a distinctive old world funk on the nose, it was interesting to see people’s reaction to this wine – it was either “I love it!” or “I hate it!” I for one loved this wine and thought it was drinking superbly.

2005 Freemark Abbey Sycamore Cabernet Sauvignon – Again it is interesting to see the differences in the winemaking style from the same vineyard. This wine was drinking very nicely with big red fruit and subtle nuances of tobacco, dried earth, cedar, and allspice.

Cheers!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fine Wine, Member services

Tagged as , , , ,