Wood in St. Joseph

Just opened a 2006 Graillot Crozes-Hermitage; tasted. Woah, what's this caramelly thing going on? Some six or nine months ago, it was fresh, acidic, impertinent, good stuff. Now, it's taken on oak characteristics.

Makes me reconsider SFJoe's perception of the Gonon. Could this be, as Claude purports, a quality of the grape?

No wonder I hate Syrah.
 
In addition to the general Syrah charcteristics that can resemble oak, Graillot is one of the relatively few left in the No. Rhne who uses stems, which sometimes also can be confused with oak.

Additionally, Graillot's barrels are used barrels from Dujac; sometimes even second- and third-year barrels can seemingly give off oak tinges, although if you did not taste it when you opened the wine six months ago, that probably is not the explanation here.
 
originally posted by maureen:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
hipster and ... St. Joseph.
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Never thought I'd ever see those words in close proximity.
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Monier is another hipster in close proximity to St-Joseph.

However, I am yet to be convinced that "quality" is in close proximity to "hipster" and "St-Joseph."
 
No, Graillot is not oaky. Graillot is Graillot. I tend towards Claude's explanation, but would never be drinking an '06 anyway, so...
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
No wonder I hate Syrah.
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You what? The bombs just don't stop dropping with you, do they! :)

I had a pretty bad Trader Joe's Central Coast Syrah tonight. But it wasn't my idea.
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:

No wonder I hate Syrah.
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thank you for saying that. i have felt that way for years but kept it to myself, thinking there was something wrong with me. this is theraputic.

although, i was impressed enough with george vernay's '06 st joseph to buy a 1/2 case.
 
originally posted by Claude Kolm:
Graillot is one of the relatively few left in the No. Rhne who uses stems, which sometimes also can be confused with oak.
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I believe that Texier is no longer destemming.
 
originally posted by Bill Lundstrom:
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:

No wonder I hate Syrah.
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thank you for saying that. i have felt that way for years but kept it to myself, thinking there was something wrong with me. this is theraputic.
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I have a love hate relationship with Syrah. I love the drink but the drink does not love me. I seem more likely to have lasting negative returns the morning after an investment with Syrah. All things being equal, I do not have the same outcome with other varieties.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
And Eric's '06s are wonderful.
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The Brezeme Pergault is fantastic in '06, although not for drinking right now.
The 2006 CdR Cadinnieres is a wine even a confirmed Grenache hater would like, maybe it is the vineyard or Eric's light hand. The '06 Cote Rotie was fully ripe, but with fine smooth tannins. I preferred the Brezeme over the CR.

I'm interested in hearing Thor's thoughts on why not 2006 in the N Rhone.
 
OK, so there's mass misunderstanding, for which I will accept the blame.

I didn't mean to say anything about '06, the vintage. My only point was that should I own Graillot's '06 Crozes-Hermitage, it would be resting comfortably in my cellar, not sitting with its neck exposed on my dinner table, bleeding into my glass.

That's all.
 
originally posted by Thor:
OK, so there's mass misunderstanding, for which I will accept the blame.

I didn't mean to say anything about '06, the vintage. My only point was that should I own Graillot's '06 Crozes-Hermitage, it would be resting comfortably in my cellar, not sitting with its neck exposed on my dinner table, bleeding into my glass.

That's all.
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Actually, in contrast to the often-brutal 2005s, the 2006s are pretty easy to take young.
 
Sure. But in the specific case of the Graillot, I'd still prefer it with a little age. Those of us not in the well-funded legal profession have to be more parsimonious, you know.
 
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