By: AJ McClellan
Second Flight
1994 Maya – Soft tannins with black raspberries and chocolate covered tar bubbles. There was a slight hint of sweet oak in the form of cedar and fresh pine needles. The finish was super smooth with a subtle spice and long vanilla extract lingering on the palate.
1989 Haut Brion – Drinking every bit like a legendary Bordeaux with subtle chocolate – well worn leather, lush earth, and loads of crushed gravely rock. The nose was unmistakable and the entire table instantly agreed that this was the Haut Brion… The fruit was well integrated, showing deep black cherries and overripe black currants. The thing that sets Haut Brion apart for me is the rolling hillside of lush earth that allows you to close your eyes and imagine the countryside of Bordeaux. The layers of complexity sauntered from the glass revealing the subtle smoke of a cigar smoked yesterday and the rich coffee that helps you wake up in the morning combined. The next echelon hit with black tea, toasted vanilla, dark chocolate, and the perfume of a blossoming rose garden. Rich and opulent, this wine has decades ahead of it and will always be in the forefront of my mind when I think of epic Bordeauxs. 
1994 Bryant – This wine had in it all the rowdy fruits of cassis, blueberries, black cherries, and plum amalgamated with violets and lilacs then topped with anise, clove, lavender, and allspice. The ripe berries gave an illusion of sweetness but a bone dry structure held fast against the tides of fruit and cooking spices. Upon diving into the wine you will find a core of soft earth and radiant sunshine that help to balance the wine and give it great depth. This wine is very well put together and goes to show what exactly what can be achieved with California vineyards.
1980 Guigal Lalandonne – In almost every wine tasting we have the Guigal wins the wine of the night; however this one never got the chance as it was flawed coming out of the gate… 
1997 Rayas – Seeing as the previous flight had some help from the 86 Cheval Blanc, we decided to heat things up with the second flight and throw in a ringer to take the place of the Guigal. After several minutes of discussion the table was split 50/50 on whether our mystery wine was Burgundy or Rhone, which goes to show how similar the regions can be once they get some age on them. The main distinction for me was the mouthful of white pepper that that Rayas showed combined with the massive smoked game and leather. Once I pointed this out the group was quick to converge on Rhone and the majority did a great job of calling it late nineties Chateauneuf Du Pape.
1970 Fonseca Magnum – One of our members brought in the Fonseca for after the tasting but seeing as we had a Port in the lineup we decided to put the 70 in as a blind to see how it matched up against the 35. While the Fonseca was a great little Port with dried cranberries and toasted cedar notes it was no contest against the elegance of the Taylor.
1935 Taylor – We have had our fair share of magnificent Ports here at Graileys but the 35 Taylor was as near to perfect as I believe I have ever seen from a fortified wine. This bottle represents everything that vintage Ports hope to achieve. Upon decanting the nose was superb with melted chocolate, dark roasted coffee, blackberries, licorice, cinnamon, plum extract, and rich minerality. In the glass the wine was pure silk drinking with an elegance that would tie the most eloquent poets tongue in knots. The finish knew no end as if the wine’s essence was burned onto my taste buds… For me this was the wine of the night.
After the tasting we tallied everyone’s votes for first, second, and third place wines (forbidding anyone to vote their own wine #1) and declared a wine of the night. It was a close race with almost every wine getting a #1 rating. At the end it came down to a photo finish with people’s second and third choices coming into play to decide who would go home with the trophy. Third place was the 89 Haut Brion, second was the 35 Taylor, and, surprisingly enough, first place was the 94 Bryant Family Cabernet Sauvignon.
Ivan winning the Wine of The Night trophy for his 1994 Bryant.
After the tasting was over several members pulled some wines from their stash to share around the table.
1999 Fougeray de Beauclair Bonnes Mares GC – I am a sucker for Bonnes Mares and this bottle did not disappoint. Even after the great tasting we had had, this wine was showing well with a soft crispness that I have come to expect from this wonderful vineyard. Bright red cherries with lush raspberries and a great limestone minerality. Long finish and nonexistent tannins.
1966 Dows – In an attempt to capture the experience that the 35 provided we opened this wonderful Port. On any other night it would have blown me away with a soft well developed tannin structure and graceful balance, but tonight it only seemed clumsy and disconjointed.
2001 Pavillon Blanc – A great way to end the night. Easy drinking with soft crisp fruit. There was a very nice mixture of grapefruit, lemon, and guava leaning on a backbone of crisp minerality and white summer flowers.
You have to get the cork out somehow…