The evening was doubly special in that Clos Erasmus owner/winemaker, Daphne Glorian, and her husband, Eric Solomon, were in attendance, as well as fellow Vinous member, Kelly Walker.
Daphne was incredibly charming and shared marvelous stories about getting her start in Priorat in the late 1980's. Eric (founder/owner of Charlotte -based importer European Cellars) was in fine form providing unique insight and anecdotes.
Clos Erasmus is a very limited production cuvee from Priorat that is mostly Grenache with some Syrah. Earlier vintages contain a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon. It typically sees about 20 months in French oak (60% new). These are beautiful wines and I've heard them described by the fairer sex as being "orgasmic", which clearly makes this cuvee a solid choice for date night :)
I did not take detailed notes, and the wines were served double blind. I do remember thinking that the wines were all comprised of Rhone varietals, however I picked the first two as being from California (Paso Robles), the second two as being from Spain (Priorat) and the last two as being from France (CdP). This highlights the different characteristics introduced from aging, I suppose.
1998 Clos Erasmus
2004 Clos Erasmus
2007 Clos Erasmus
2013 Laurel (2nd wine of Clos Erasmus)
2010 Clos Erasmus
2013 Clos Erasmus
My favorite of the flight (and the favorite of the group) was the 2010 Clos Erasmus. The beautifully precise expression of fruit and overall balance amply demonstrated the unique character of this hallowed vintage.
Bravo to a very special evening!
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