Weddings are an interesting social activity. Doesn’t matter your faith (or lack thereof) or particular preferences, normally they are a feel good event. Traditionally, there’s music, food and wine. In my family, those three are essential. I started talking about my baby brother’s wedding in another post, and now I’ll talk about the wedding party: the reception.
The place selected was Los Chavales in San Juan and it looked beautiful decorated as per the newlyweds desire. There was a bar with some good battle wines but the best wines were counterfeit. Not in the sense of being fake but in the sense of being brought by the father of the groom.
So me and the wife got seated in the table of my parents friends that just happened to be wine aficionados as well and it was funny because having my dad pour from decanters on the day of his sons wedding brought images to my head of the history of weddings and how wine has been such a relevant part of them. I mean if you want to go biblical, there’s the famous story of the wedding at Canaan (the whole water into wine bid) but I meant more in the sense of families and the act of celebrating by sharing, which is a quintessential part of drinking wine (unless you are really into drinking alone in which case I have a club you could call for help).
The event was fantastic. It was like a party that did not want to end and only until my aging knees started to compel me to go on my marry way did we not leave but it was a festivity that very much in detail represented the vibe of my brother and my new sister. Two really great people that found one another and promised to be together in sickness and health, in bullying and nagging, in boredom and accomplishments and above all, in family drinking events. If I had to name them as a duo with a song I would definitely go with Happy Shiny People from the R.E.M. except in the mornings. There I would go with some grunge band. I mean I can’t even…so let me just go to the wines.
The wines started with the darling of the family, Joseph Phelps 1986 Cabernet Sauvignon. You can tell when this bottle was purchased because it taunts you with the price tag of yesteryear. They go now for close to $200 (if you can find them). This wine is resilient. It withstand the test of time and maintains aromas of black currants, vanilla, spices. It’s not as strong as it was before, I’ve had this wine a few times over the years, but its presence on palate is extraordinary and not one person said the contrary in the table. Long finish, just exquisite. From there we moved to France.
Chateau Gruaud Larose 1986 was outstanding. We are talking a 96 RP pointer back in the day before the commercialization of points and also said it’s maturity age would be between 2006 and 2031 so we hit it, I would declare, in it’s sweetspot. Bordeaux is such a curious region with such diversity that sometimes is perplexing. I mean what is in that soil? Anyway Larose is one of my favorites and one of the Bordeaux wines I’ve had the opportunity of drinking from multiple years. This year in particular is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Stephen Tanzer once called this vintage one of Larose’s best in the last 40 years. As per my basic notes, I was not keen on getting specifics on nose, I’m not that well trained yet, but some mature red fruits were present and a smell of vintage LP’s stored in an attic, and I mean that in a good way. In mouth it felt compiled and tannin’s under control like a mature wine can only be and quite a long delectable finish.
I didn’t just sit and drink, although I could have been ok with that honestly. I’m not naturally chatty, but after a few glasses I can go into conversations and I was seated between two great friends and great distributors of wine so the conversations remained on subject. We danced a bit, walked around, took pictures with the bride and groom and for a brief moment I caught myself listening to the band playing and counting mistakes on chords or missteps on keeping the tempo. What can I say…I can’t help myself.
While walking back, I think I might have missed a wine or two that was opened, but one of the friends of the family found me and told me that we needed to open the Kenwood, apparently one of his favorites. Unfortunately for us both the Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon 1986 was corked. So there’s not much to share other than feeling despondent. Another time, another bottle.
So we left Saint Julien, skipped Sonoma and left for Saint Emilion with the Chateau Canon 1er Grand Clu Classe 1989. Considered a great year and a combination of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Malbec and 13% alcohol. For it’s age it had a higher opacity level due to maintaining a darker color (compared to other 30 year old wines, let’s keep it in context). It had that earthy tone you only get in Bordeaux, some mushrooms and some plants I’m not sure if plants that have flowers but plants that have a strong aroma. On palate there were dark berries and the last remnants of green (which is what I call peppery tastes). There’s still life in this wine, unless Thanos gets his hands on it.
The final wine I remember having was the Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1986. A wine that’s almost 50% from grapes of To Kalon Vineyard located in Oakville and considered by many one of the world’s best. Then again, that was probably said by an American. Regardless, its a name well known in the industry and even by those with little experience in the wine world. The wine itself had a subtle caramel aroma and very faint chocolate and anise hints while on palate there was the expected ripe black fruit. The finish was not as long as the others but it held its own. It was a well balanced wine but not brawny. Also exciting but not pretentious. No wonder Mondavi has maintained it’s status in a place where boutique wines keep winning over wine lovers. The composition was 94.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.8% Cabernet Franc, 0.7% Merlot. Which makes me curious, what effect can such a small quantity of Merlot can have in the wine? I’m sure there’s a logical answer, I just don’t have it.
It was a memorable event, one that we’ll treasure as long as our memories will permit. The union of two families, the life dance celebration of two individuals that have decided that flying together is better than flying solo and, to stay in subject and somewhat at the end of the list, this magnificent list of wines that celebrate my baby brother’s birth date and his wife as well. Here’s to family. Cheers!
