By: AJ McClellan
Wednesday was a good day at Graileys. A plethora of wines were opened, all of outstanding quality. My wine of the evening was by far and away the d’Auvenay. With the beautiful toasty notes and rocking minerality I could drink that wine all day long and never get tired of it…
2000 Pichon Baron – A great bottle of wine, classic Bordeaux, with dusty tannins and great warm earth notes. The fruit is still ripe and showing well. This wine is great now and will drink for another two decades at least.
1999 Poggio Antico Brunello Riserva – I tasted this wine when it was first opened and it was rather muted. Some sour cherry on the nose and hard tannins on the palate. I was told that after some time in the glass the wine improved significantly.
2007 Napanook – Good old Napanook. This is a classic Cali Cab. Big fruit, big spice, big tannins.
2007 Jones Family – Every time I try this bottle I am very impressed. Dam Bailey would be proud to hear that this wine stood up with everything else we had on the table last night.
2008 Cinq Cepages – This wine is becoming my new favorite Cali Cab. Soft ripe fruit with pronounced silky tannins and a alcohol that is in perfect balance with the wine.
1985 Ridge York Creek Zinfandel – Drinking great on the pop and pour but after some time in the glass this wine fell off substantially.
1992 Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel – This wine was good, I thought it was showing some slight stewy notes at first but after some time with the glass I think that is just how this older Zinfandel was showing. Light on the palate with some soft red fruit notes.
1996 Sauzet Batard Montrachet – Showing a little more oxidization that I thought appropriate for a 96 but still drinking well. Apricot, almond extract, honeysuckle, and a pleasant toasty note.
1998 Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Clavoillon – This wine was showing some oxidized notes as well but not as bad as the Sauzet. Pear and quince with a pleasant limestone minerality and slight honey notes.
1998 Domaine d’Auvenay Lalou Bize Leroy Meursault Les Narvaux – This wine is friggin awesome! When you put the glass to your nose you get toast, honey nut cheerios, Asian Pear, and chalky minerality. A beautiful bottle of wine!
2006 Mas Boislauzon Quet CDP – I did not get to taste this wine but I am told is was drinking well but very young.
2006 Reserve Des Deux Frères CDP – This wine smelt like the north end of a south bound camel….