By: AJ McClellan
What a great night at Graileys! We had a great group of members around the table and everyone was popping some excellent bottles.
2007 Schrader To Kalon – Up until this point Shrader was a cult Cali Cab that I have not had much respect for. I have tried several different labels from several different vintages and feel that for the price they continuously fall short of their lofty price point. That being said this bottle was quite nice. A very fragrant nose of wild strawberries and Bing cherry with pleasant spice notes. The palate was balanced and while still showing gripping tannins the wine will evolve to be excellent in another five years.
1996 Guigal Chateau d’Ampuis Cote Rotie – This bottle is always drinking great. Big smoke, leather, tobacco, and tar on the nose with a palate of smoked bacon and coffee grounds.
1994 Chateau de Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin – We opened this bottle the day before and put a cork back in it, not sure if the bottle was flawed or just foul. We opened it back up and while the wine had improved to a drinkable level I cannot justify the lofty price on this wine…
1989 Lynch Bages – A great bottle of wine! Lynch Bages always delivers an excellent wine for the price. The fruit was just starting to fade to the back and the musty forest floor was pushing past it to get to the forefront. A great bottle of wine.
1989 Opus one – Surprisingly delicious. The Opus One was drinking with a wonderful elegance showing black currants, raspberries, and plums on the nose and palate. The fruit was still strong and backed by a well integrated tanninc backing.
2008 SQN B20 – I have nick named this wine big burtha. The bottle is voluptuous in all the right places with a little extra to go around. Smoke, tar, leather, and enough black fruit to smother a platoon of savvy wine drinkers.