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Grand Jury Chicagoan - 2001 Cab Merlot
Restaurant Michael
Tasted December 17, 2007 by Nanda with 900 views
Flight 1 - BUBBLY (2 notes)
White - Sparkling
1995 Duval-Leroy Champagne Femme de Champagne
Lovely. In a great place with evolved bready notes, vibrant fruit and lifting acidity. A treat.
White - Sparkling
1990 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame
Youthful showing big and firm. Crisp acidity adds sharpness to the white fruits and minerals. Amazingly fresh for a 17 year old.
Flight 2 - FLIGHT 1 (4 notes)
The group was quite impressed with the flight overall. There was a lot of complexity in styles to appreciate.
Red
2001 Castello del Terriccio Lupicaia
97 points
Gorgeous, crazy complex, lush and full nose has tar, dark currant fruit, spices with a huge mineral kick. This is gorgeous in the mouth as well as it covers the palate with an insane amount of rich fruits. Has complexity, balance and incredible length – with an array of flavors that linger for over a minute. This was the group’s second favorite wine of the flight with consistent high praise. My WOTF. 96-98 points
Red
2001 Château La Tour Carnet
91 points
A beautiful, fragrant and complex nose has loads tar, dark currant fruit, pencil shavings and distinct Bordeaux minerality. Palate is in a leaner style and very Bordeaux-like. Medium bodied and loses intensity across the mid-palate. Perhaps the tannic grip is clamping down the fruit here. Third in the flight with agreement that this was Bordeaux. One WOTF vote. 90 – 92 points
Red
2001 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon
89 points
Nose has very primary, grape-like aromas with toasty oak accents. Palate is full of rich fruit. This comes across quite simple and straight forward…akin to a zinfandel. Some tannic bite in the finish. Consistently dead last in the flight – with two second place votes. My least favorite wine of the flight and evening overall. 88 – 90 points
Red
2001 Joseph Phelps Insignia
96 points
Rich fruit-forward aromas of chocolate covered cherries and vanilla leap from the glass. It seems very Foley-esque on the effusive nose. Palate has forward rich fruits with big tannins that are coming through and offering balance. Clear group favorite in the flight, with consensus that this was California. Many thought it was the Pride Reserve. This was the #2 WOTN for the group. In my top 5 for sure. 95 – 97 points
Flight 3 - FLIGHT 2 (4 notes)
Clearly a new world flight with some in the group convinced was all Cali. Save the Shirvington not too far off. And I’m a little surprised the Monte Bello showed so “California” … I thought it would be more Bordeaux-like.
Red
2001 Ridge Monte Bello
91 points
Powerful, effusive nose has black currants and chocolate. Rich, sweet fruit on the palate has medium body. Herbs add complexity. It loses some intensity across the mid-palate, potentially the result of you tannins. Group’s #2 WOTF. I was under-helmed but it could have been in the context of the next 3 wines. 90 – 92 points.
Red
2001 Harlan Estate
94 points
Aromas are bright and lifted with rich new world fruit, spice and toasty accents. Bright on the palate as well with lifting acidity well matched against rich fruit. Intense and pure across the mid-palate with a long, focused finish that stays, lingers and stays some more offering spice and minerals. Great balance with fine tannic structure, acid and plentiful fruits suggesting a long life ahead. 93 – 95 points. My #2 WOTF. The group enjoyed but was not enamored with the wine, some thinking it was Australian.
Red
2001 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
98 points
Insanely delicious aromas gave this away as a top-notch Pride, out of the gate. Dense nose of milk chocolate and rich black currants is simply delicious. Unbelievable attack on the palate is rich, lush and generous with big pure fruits. A total pleasure bomb! But with tannins lurking beneath to suggest this is a serious wine that can be aged. 97 – 99 points. My WOTF. Surprisingly to me, did not garner many votes from the group as a favorite in this flight.
Red
2001 Shirvington Cabernet Sauvignon
95 points
A totally exotic and very unique nose. Loaded with incense spices, chocolate and black currants. Lush, rich fruits on the plate also show the exotic, Asian spice flair. Has terrific complexity of flavors and length, but not the richness / fullness in the finish shown by the Harlan or Pride Reserve. 94 – 96. My #3 WOTF. Group’s WOTF and WOTN. Shocking!
Flight 4 - FLIGHT 3 (3 notes)
It was interesting that 3 of the 5 Bordeaux all ended up in one flight. Prior to revealing, all three wines were suspected to be Bordeaux. Not a total surprise with Lafite finishing behind the other two wines, that are better early drinkers. None the less, always fun to see how “lesser” wines fare against a 1st growth.
Red
2001 Château Lafite Rothschild
94 points
Nose is loaded with minerals, pencil shavings and rich, sweet red currants. Palate is medium-to-full bodied with tarry, pure red fruits. The restraint and elegance with complexity points to a top Bordeaux. 93 – 95 points. My WOTF. Group’s third in the flight.
Red
2001 Château Pape Clément
94 points
Beautiful nose is complete akin to Wine I with minerals, pencil shavings and sweet red currants. The palate has red currants with tar and minerals adding complexity. Medium-to-full in body. Intense on the mid-palate with great persistence and weight. Seemed to be another Bordeaux. 93 – 95 points. My #2 WOTF. Group’s WOTF by a hair over Wine K.
Red
2001 Reignac
92 points
Most fruit-driven nose in the flight with reduced, plum fruit, tar, minerals and spice on the complex nose. Red fruits, leather and tar on the medium-bodied palate. Again more restrained in style with noticeable tannic structure. Very much a Bordeaux. Group’s #2 WOTF. 91 – 93 points
Flight 5 - FLIGHT 4 (3 notes)
None of these wines finished in the top of GJC’s overall wines. I wonder how much of that is the result of palate fatigue! Within the flight the Beringer was the clear favorite. I personally preferred the Pavie.
Red
2001 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve
93 points
Nose is open and full of rich fruits, toasty accents and licorice. Palate is wide open with lush fruits. 92 – 94 points. My #2 WOTF, Group’s WOTF by a margin – but only in the middle of the pack overall.
Red
2001 Château Pavie
93 points
Rich and complex nose has red currants, spices, herbs and minerals. The intensity and openness picks up with time in the glass. More elegant the some of the earlier wines, but still offering rich, tar and mineral-filled fruit. Very giving and long and delicious throughout. 92 – 94 points. My WOTF. Group’s last in flight.
Red
2001 BOND St. Eden
92 points
Shy nose has red currants and spices. Palate is more vibrant, opulent and filled with rich fruits and minerals. Giving fruits are well matched with underlying tannic structure. Nice but perhaps the most rigid and stodgy of the California wines. 91 – 93 points. Groups #2 WOTF.
Flight 6 - DESSERT (1 note)
White - Sweet/Dessert
2001 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey
The total package. Rich and complex on the nose and palate. Chock full of flavor and length. A wow wine.