Worldwide Grenache

Boka - Chicago
Tasted Thursday, February 12, 2009 by Nanda with 695 views

Introduction

Todd Tucker was back in town so he and Ken organized this tasting dinner featuring some of the world's greatest Grenache. The overall quality was very, very high and favorites difficult to pick out. Food at Boka was quite good and held its own with the wines.

The French CdP wines had a modern bent given the producers and vintages - but even still these were decidedly French relative to the other flights. My favorite, and most of the tables, was the Deux Freres which was closely followed by the Clos de Papes. The Spanish flight was of ridiculous quality with the L'Ermita edging out the youngster Aquilon and Erasmus. Again I found these wines to have a distinct Spanish character with big time rich fruit, chocolate and crystalline minerality. Finally the new world flight featured my WOTN, the SQN. The quality again was top notch and their was no doubting that these were US (or Aussie) wines.

With a gun to my head I'd rank as follows:
1. 05 SQN Atlantis
2. 98 L'Ermita
3. 05 Aquilon
4. 03 Duex Freres
5. 03 Erasmus

We ended with desert wines including a couple low production stickies from Noon ... but I was in no shape for notes by then.

Flight 1 - STARTER (1 Note)

  • NV Jacques Selosse Initial 93 Points

    France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

    Complex aromatics. Pears, biscuits and dough with a savory character. Lifted palate with a long finish. Delicious and remarkable for its decidedly savory, yet fresh character.

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Flight 2 - FRANCE - CDP (5 Notes)

Flight 3 - SPAIN (5 Notes)

  • 1998 Alvaro Palacios Priorat L'Ermita 98 Points

    Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

    A wow nose with incredibly lifted and complex aromatics. Chocolaty minerals and fresh cut herbs. Palate shows a "mature" richness - dense and full of fruit but totally light on its feet with lifting acidity and smooth tannins providing impeccable balance. Very long with more chocolate and minerals. This has it all - complexity, richness and balance. Love it.

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  • 2001 Mas Doix Priorat Costers de Vinyes Velles 93 Points

    Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

    Soaring rich nose has chocolate, black fruit and toasty oak. Palate has rich, dense and toasty fruit. Melted licorice, minerals and spice across the mid palate. Flashy with a candied feel. Persistent and long. A great flashy wine but lacking the depth and complexity of the L'Ermita.

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  • 2003 Clos Erasmus Priorat 96 Points

    Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

    Nose starts tight but unfolds with time. Loads of rich fruit and chocolaty notes. Palate is rockin! Full of delicious, rich black fruit, chocolate, spice and minerals. Great texture -- layer upon layer of density and richness. Longggg. Stellar.

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  • 2005 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Garnacha Aquilon 97 Points

    Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja

    Another wow nose. So generous and rich with concentrated black fruits, melted licorice, toast and spices. Full bodied palate is chock full of flavor and texture. Unbelievably rich and yet has balance. Excellent.

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  • 2005 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja Veraton 90 Points

    Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja

    Unfair placement next to big brother Aquilon. Black fruit and spice on the nose. Medium-to-full bodied on the palate. With a flavor profile similar to the Aquilon but nowhere near the intensity and concentration. But as its own wine, this is still very good.

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Flight 4 - NEW WORLD (4 Notes)

Closing

Terrific night with good, generous friends!

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