WTN: 2001 Chateau Greysac

<b>2001 Chateau Greysac, Medoc, France. $21, 12.5% abv, Imported by Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, New York, NY. </b>

Color is a medium ruby and slightly translucent. Decanted about an hour before dinner. The back label indicates the vineyard is planted with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. I’m not an expert, but it seemed to me that the nose was very similar to my previous experience with pure Cab Franc. The aroma was slightly herbaceous, not like any other predominantly Cab Sauv/Merlot blend I have encountered. And the taste followed through on the nose. Again, the flavor was more similar to a pure Cab Franc.

We consumed the bottle with lamb chops that were grilled after soaking in olive oil, garlic, and fresh rosemary. A nice accompaniment to our dinner.

As said above, I’m not an expert. Most of my experience with the traditional Bordeaux grapes has been in wines produced in the U. S. or Oz. Was the aroma and taste of this wine typical? Or indicative of more Cab Franc in the blend than the norm?

I checked cellar-tracker for you, some info there. Not too complimentary.

Mike,
If you are not familiar with Bordeaux I am not sure Ch Greysac '01 is the place to start. I have never been impressed with this property and your herbaseous notes may be a touch of greeness in a vintage that is not known for being fruit forward. Since you drink US and OZ cab based wines my guess it the '01 would appear very restrained and unyielding. '00 Bordeaux would be more open in style but the prices are ridiculous. For $22 I just picked up '01 Ch de Sales which with the merlot content should be much more approachable. I am not an expert but love Bordeaux and hate to see a person form an opinion based on '01 Greysac, just a friendly comment.
Walt

I’m not an expert.

I'm no expert either, Mike. But the Steelers avatar makes your statement kinda redundant. Doesn't Cincy have a football team?

Most of my experience with the traditional Bordeaux grapes has been in wines produced in the U. S. or Oz. Was the aroma and taste of this wine typical? Or indicative of more Cab Franc in the blend than the norm?

Forgive the gross generality(ies) that follow, but I think you're putting your finger on what many geeks think of as a telling distinction between "Old World" and "New World" styles. The herbaceous quality you note may be due in part to the Cab Franc in the blend, but it may also reflect a fairly typical Bordeaux profile, which could be described as leaner and greener than the riper, more fruit-forward style associated with places like California and Australia. For sure, there are lots of holes to be poked in this oversimplification, but I've found it pretty consistently true especially in the relatively inexpensive price range. FYI, $21 seems a wee bit high for Greysac. If you're going to buy again, you might consider looking for a cheaper place on wine-searcher.com.

Greysac, for me, is a nice middle of the road Bordeaux. Nothing too exciting, but I usually have a few bottles in the cellar to pull out for the roast chicken. I can usually get it for around $12, though, and certainly wouldn't pay more than $15.

Greysac, for me, is a nice middle of the road Bordeaux. Nothing too exciting, but I usually have a few bottles in the cellar to pull out for the roast chicken. I can usually get it for around $12, though, and certainly wouldn't pay more than $15.

Michael,
For $12-15 Ch Greysac would make a reasonable quaffing Bordeaux. $21 it too high for this wine.
Walt

Or the other way around. Why go to Bordeaux to look for friendly, full- frontal fruit when it is available almost everywhere else?

I happen to like the 2001 Greysac better than any other Greysac vintage I have tried, and what most people complain of as unpleasant herbaeousness, I like a lot and think of as part of the earth class of elements.

And yes, $15 is about tops for what one should pay.

And yes, $15 is about tops for what one should pay.

Thanks for all the comments. As far as pricing is concerned, I am in Ohio where wine prices are high because of mandated 3 tier system and minimum markups at each level.

Also, the "herbaceousness" I noted in this wine is similar to the nose and taste of domestic Cab Francs I have had. Which is why I thought in terms of excessive CF in the blend as opposed to Old World/New World differences.[/i]

I’m not an expert.

I'm no expert either, Mike. But the Steelers avatar makes your statement kinda redundant. Doesn't Cincy have a football team?

I'm a Pittsburgh native. But to answer your question, yes, both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have professional football teams. I heard a rumor that Baltimore might get a pro team some year, too.

In some ways the Steelers are to Pittsburgh what Greysac is to Bordeaux. They are both blue-collar symbols of honorable bygone hardscrabble times. I never lived in Pittsburgh or Bordeaux; but I proudly wear a Steelers T-shirt and happily drink Greysac.

Covert,
It is nice to see your name again. I have obviously been out of the loop and not tuned in to what you guys have been doing. As to the Greysac, I happen to be a fan of the '00 (I think the '01 has promise) but I was able to pickup a case of the '00 for about $12 a bottle and am enjoying it periodically. It is a solid effort and at around 88-89 pts., a great QPR.
Glad to see everyone back (where they've really always been).

Greysac, for me, is a nice middle of the road Bordeaux. Nothing too exciting, but I usually have a few bottles in the cellar to pull out for the roast chicken. I can usually get it for around $12, though, and certainly wouldn't pay more than $15.

WHat Michael says. When I saw the mention of "$21" in the thread's opening message, my first reaction was "That's it, these too have gone nuts!"

When I began buying Greysac, it was $7. The last one I bought, which was the 2000 (a bit of a clunker for my taste) went for something like $12.99. I couldn't fathom paying $21 for what is essentialy a workaday little Bordeaux, unpretentious and quaffable.

FWIW, I do't know that they could up the Cabernet Franc in the blend enough to make that variety's profile the more prominent one in the wine. Since I haven't tried the wine, I can only offer an educated guess about the "herbaceous", or "herbal", or whatever such notes that may appear in that '01 being attributable to either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, which in coolish vintages can give that just as much as, if not more than, Cabernet Franc.

I had dinner at Greysac, of all places, back in 1999. A modest country house by any standard. The owner and winemaker were charming people. We drank an '86 from magnum that was quite nice.