The Gang Does Gruaud-Larose

Storyline by George Heritier

To learn more about French wine please take Alan Kerr's eleven question survey "EVALUATION OF FRENCH WINES"

H O M E   |   S I T E  I N D E X   |  P R E V I O U S   P A G E   |   E M A I L  U S 

THE

1989 Schlumberger Gewurztraminer Kessler
1986 Laurel Glen Sonoma Mountain
        Cabernet Sauvignon
1986 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet
        Sauvignon Reserve
1975 Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis Las
        Cases
1986 Gaja Barbaresco
1988 Castello Banfi Summus
1997 Cline "Los Carneros" Syrah

7 Vintages of Gruaud-Larose + 1

We were ready to begin the featured tasting, so Marty and George set up the first flight of three in a blind format.

#1. Dark garnet, almost inky, with a big cedar/cigar box nose that echoes in the flavors with added cassis and spice. The acidity is still good and the tannins are mostly resolved. Mr. Flippy noted "a very velvety texture, a little barnyard on ze nose (I didn't get this, but...), black licorice/dusty tannins/black soap from Marseilles (?!) and some raspberry on ze finish." The 'deauxnut added an impression of chocolate, describing the wine as "silky." Mr. Flippy and I both named this as our favorite of the flight, and most others agreed, although George said it was "the most innocuous." Zinchick's only comment was "Not bad for French wine." 1983 Chateau Gruaud-Larose.

#2. A little lighter color with a tighter nose at first, this has flavors of hard cassis with hints of cedar/tobacco/coffee, and a thinner texture than the previous wine, or the one that followed for that matter. Marty and Pascal said that more fruit comes out on the nose as it opens, but it doesn't stand out the way one would have expected, given the vintage. 1982 Chateau Gruaud-Larose.

#3. Ruby dark garnet, this is the driest, most tannic and acidic of the three, with cassis flavors and aromas accented by "horse$#i+/tobacco/ charcoal/mushroom/black olive and gout de terroir" according to ze Flipster. Ironically, it was the oldest wine, the 1978 Chateau Gruaud-Larose.

After tasting these, we broke for dinner, Alan's fabulous Lamb Wellington and roasted vegetables with a lamb reduction sauce accompanied by the following wine.

1983 Chateau Montelena Napa Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: Dark garnet and dense, with a big acidic backbone and big tannic grip, this is still a baby. Showing big dark cassis/plum fruit, it's puckery, with an astringent finish where the fruit fades. While it was enjoyed by all, doubts were expressed as to whether the fruit would survive the tannins here.

Back to the Gruaud-Larose tasting, Marty and George set up the second flight in chronological order, from older to young, but didn't tell us that until afterwards.

#4. Ruby dark garnet with not much on the nose but dust. Medium bodied, with pleasant cassis/red currant/pastis (an aperitif from southern France) flavors that are perfectly acceptable on their own terms, but not a wine of the same substance or caliber as the others. 1986 Sarget du Chateau Gruaud-Larose, the Chateau's second label.

#5. Dark garnet with a bit of horsey barnyard on the nose, according to Mark and Pascal. Rich dark plum/cassis with a little herb/underbrush and hints of cedar/cigar tobacco and a note of what Chambon called resin. Still good tannins here, yet very drinkable and enjoyable. Obviously older than the next three. 1985 Chateau Gruaud-Larose.

#6. Dark garnet with a restrained cassis nose at first, this shows big tannic blackfruit/black cherry that needs time in the cellar, but as it opens it becomes velvety and beautiful. Thick, dense and delicious, this wowed us all except for Zinchick, who said, "It sucks. It's stony and insipid." So there! My favorite of the flight and 2nd favorite wine of the G-L's. 1986 Chateau Gruaud-Larose.

#7. The Zinfan said he wouldn't pick this ruby dark garnet as a Bordeaux if he didn't know better, and Mr. Flippy agreed, saying that it was "all fruit," and had "ze most friendly noze." He also noted a hint of mint to the red fruit character, while Kerr commented on a "big vegetal Portabella mushroom" quality. Not as big or intense as the last wine, it has tannic grip and high alcohol on the finish. Leave this one in the cellar for a while. 1988 Chateau Gruaud-Larose.

#8. Ruby dark garnet with a closed nose; the 'deauxnut said it has no nose at all, while I felt it has dust and nothing else. On the palate, it exhibits big dusty cassis/plum fruit and some chocolate as well. Pascal said "I love ze polish to zis wine," relating it to something you'd shine furniture with, but in a good way! There are good tannins and earth on the finish, yet it opens with air to a nice drinkability. 1989 Chateau Gruaud-Larose.

This was a wonderful survey of this terrific Chateau, and we're all in Marty's debt for opening them for us. The '83 and '86 were the obvious standouts, and if anyone had other opinions, they kept them to themselves.

Afterwards, we sampled yet a few more selections.

1988 Castello Banfi Summus: My last bottle of this beautiful wine, I thought it would be fun to see how it stood up to the Bordeauxs. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Syrah, this slightly rust ruby garnet is rich, round and delicious, with flavors and aromas of black cherry/red currant/coffee/chocolate. The tannins are resolved and there is still good acidity, but I was surprised that it isn't as spicy or as smoky as so many Italian wines. It's just rich, deep fruit unadorned with excess oak. Marty commented on "a raisiny overtone, or maybe undertone," while Pascal said "ze fruit dries and fades on ze finish," but no one agreed with this last assessment. Kim Adams' Wine of the Night, and certainly one of my top few, I only wish I had more, because it's in no danger of falling from its peak anytime in the next year or two.

1997 Cline "Los Carneros" Syrah: The Zinfan opened this, and it proved to be perfect in "rebooting the palate." (Thanks to MoCooler Jay Baldwin for coining that phrase!) Dark garnet, with an effusive, jammy, sweet toasty oak/vanilla/malt/black and blueberry/plum nose which echoes loudly in the flavors, but substantial tannins clamp down on the tarry, astringent finish. It has a good dose of acidity as well, and has the stuffing to age five years no sweat. I bought one of these some months ago for about $17 or $18, so the QPR is quite good.

1970 Cockburn's Vintage Porto: Our final selection of the evening went well with CZ's dessert cheese plate of Epoisses, Meunster, St Felicien and Lait Cru Camembert. Ruby dark garnet, with a hot black cherry/walnut/ chocolate bouquet that follows through in a big way on the palate with a bite and a finish that goes on forever, this will age for years to come.

And of course, Kim Miller prevailed upon this taster to put down his glass and blow a little blues on a harmonica provided by Robin, accompanied by the unorthodox but amusing guttural throat percussion of none other than Mr. Flippy. A vid-cam would have been most opportune at that moment, to record his stomping, dervish flailings.

Needless to say, it was another classic Gang get-together.

H O M E   |   S I T E  I N D E X   |  P R E V I O U S   P A G E   |   E M A I L  U S