By: AJ McClellan
Yesterday was a real treat at Graileys. We had the Great opportunity to taste one of my favorite producers out of Chateauneuf du Pape – Clos du Pape! In addition to the great bottle of CDP I was also stunned to taste the 96 Hubert Lamey Criots Batard Montrachet which was drinking as well as any White Burg I have had this year…
1998 Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles – The Leflaive was drinking well with bright limejuice acidity and lovely lemon peel fruit notes. There was a hint of limestone minerality behind the substantial honeysuckle floral notes and toffee almond finish.
2000 Shafer Hillside Select Magnum – This was a particularly fun bottle of wine. The nose showed tobacco with heavy dark chocolate notes. Once you got to the palate the wine opened up to show dark fruits with a curious note of orange peel covered in dark chocolate and nestled in a can of chewing tobacco… interesting indeed…
2006 Clos du Papes CDP Magnum – This bottle was a real treat. A very earthy CDP, just the way I like it! The wine showed mushrooms, lavender, black cherries, and forest floor with a complex finish that lasted for a good thirty plus seconds.
1996 Hubert Lamey Criots Batard Montrachet – This was my wine of the night! A wonderful bottle of White Burgundy that was a quintessential example of what I love in wine from this region. The nose showed of toast and popcorn with notes of lilies, white peach, and quince. The palate was vibrant with a bright acidity and exciting minerality.
1989 Cheval Blanc – Good old 89 Cheval Blanc. We are beginning to get very well acquainted with this bottle at Graileys as we have had it almost 6 times in the past few months. I have been very impressed with this wine each time we have tried it. Big black fruit with excellent earthy aromas and a lovely floral finish. The wine is lacking in the mid palate but only slightly.