By Simon Roberts
We headed out to Vaquero Country Club last night to do a private tasting with some members who reside at this is beautiful country club in Westlake, Texas. The cozy club house was the perfect setting for such an intimate tasting. The fire was roaring away in the background as our guests arrived. We chatted away while sipping Krug Grand Cuvee. This crisp, light and very refreshing Champagne was the perfect aperitif to start the evening off. For me, Krug has to be the best Champagne house; a quick back and forth verbal tussle ensued as A.J. proclaimed Dom Perignon to be his favorite. To each his own, I suppose… but it’s Krug every time for me.
Our guests were already seated when we poured our first wine, a lovely glass of 1996 Remoissenet Montrachet which showed a bright, vibrant acidity and a touch of honey on the nose. As this sat in the glass, the wine’s bouquet became more pronounced and intense offering spring flowers and white peach on the palate along with a hint of butterscotch. One of the guests commented they had never had a chardonnay that tasted like this. It was her first time tasting an aged white Burgundy and she was loving every sip of it… not a bad starting point!
Our next wine was a 1997 William Selyem Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir that was rocking — earthy mushroom with bing cherry nuances and a wonderful texture and finish. If I tasted this wine blind, there is no way I would have pegged this for domestic Pinot. These William Selyem Pinot Noirs really do hold up, especially from this vineyard.
We headed to Bordeaux for our next glass with a killer bottle of Pomerol. The 2000 Chateau La Conseillante was seductive, soft and supple straight from the bottle. The tannins have melted away, showcasing nothing but harmonious and balanced structure and sheer elegance in the glass. Everybody wanted more. This was the WOTN for me and after comparing notes that was the general consensus around the table.
We finished the evening with a big, robust and bloody lovely 2009 Favia Cerro Sur. Annie and Andy Erickson have nailed this wine. Gobs of sweet black currant fruit coat the palate along with a vanillin edge that is in no way overbearing… just the right amount to give this wine a velvety rich texture in the mouth. This is such a well-made and perfectly balanced Cabernet Franc-Cabernet Sauvignon blend that is a pleasure to drink now but clearly has potential for longevity. At the end of the night, the WOTN decision was a close call, but as always pure Graileys-style fun.