Posts Tagged ‘wine storage’

Drinking mature wine…

Monday, December 6th, 2010

I had one of my most enjoyable tastings a few days ago.  I got to taste about 20 wines ranging in age from 7-11 years old, all stored in optimal conditions.  I knew which wines I would be tasting ahead of time and was concerned that many would be past their prime and possibly even dead.  Lo & behold, the wines were all alive and quite spectacular.

It is said that 95% (or thereabout) of wine in consumed within 24 hours of its being purchased.  Which leads me to believe that most people have not had the extreme pleasure of drinking a wine that has had time to mature in the bottle, a bottle aged wine.

From “The Billionaire’s Vinegar”: “Crudely, the molecular changes known to unfold in a sealed wine bottle that has been laid down for years involve the gradual interaction of oxygen and wine.  Simple chemical compounds break down and recombine into more and more complex forms called polymeric phenols.  Acidity and alcohol soften.  The largest compounds – the harsh, astringent tannins – drift down into a carpet of sediment, taking with them the saturated, inky pigments.  They leave behind a mellowed, unfathomably subtle flavor and a brick-red hue.  Everything knits together, resolving into an ever finer complexity expressed fragrantly in the wine’s bouquet.”

The chapter gets into more detail about mature wine (while discussing Bordeaux purported to be from Thomas Jefferson’s cache dating back to the late 1700’s, and declares that “a wine is considered mature when it has maximized its flavor possibilities but has not yet begun to deteriorate”.

I still believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Some people prefer the primary aromas and flavors of a young wine, while others prefer the tertiary characteristics.  Of the wines I tried at the tasting I was shocked to discover that not only were most of the wines alive, but they were still displaying youthful fruit.  Their color was almost across the board still ruby, not showing very much (if any) of the brick color that is indicative of an aged wine (as it goes from purple to ruby to brick and ultimately towards brown as it reaches the end of its life).

I tried 5 Bordeaux, 3 Spanish wines, 2 wines from California and 9 wines from Israel.

The Bordeaux was all quite nice and I wish I had time with each bottle to enjoy it as it evolved.  Sadly this was a bit of a speed tasting for me as my job on this evening was simply to verify that the wines were still alive.  They were alive yet I couldn’t help but think they all seemed a bit lite.  They were definitely light in body.  I wonder what types of characteristics would have been revealed had I had more time with these wines.

Next were the Spanish wines from Capcanes; A 2000, 2001 & 2003.  These were probably my (more…)

Wine Storage

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

I received an email today from a new friend asking whether or not I thought he should purchase a wine fridge. My emphatic response was YES!

wine fridge

Wine storage is an issue that does not always come up when discussing wine but it probably should. Mistakes from storing wine upright to keeping it in the kitchen or some other hot place (I did that once – and learned a lesson) can really damage that expensive bottle you have been saving for a special occasion. (more…)

Wine deal – special occasion wine

Tuesday, February 5th, 2008

I’m sorry if I haven’t had too many deep & insightful wine related posts lately. I guess if I needed an excuse I can say that I am consumed with business planning and THE NEW YORK GIANTS!!! But since I don’t need any excuses, I’ll just get to today’s deal…

It is a 2003 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon. The site claims the regular price is $199 bottle. Yeah, that is no typo. Not $19, but $199 as in $200. Well, some research has shown that it can be bought for between $140-$200.

The deal of the day has the retailer selling it for ONLY (for those richie riches of you out there) $89.82. Again, not a cheap bottle, and not one I have tried. But if you are looking for a special bottle to put away for 10 years and open up on a special occasion, this could be the wine for you…

Which gives me a thought for a post – “Wine storage”. I bring this up as you should only buy this bottle to be put away for 5, 10 or more years IF you have the right storage for the wine. Yes, you can keep it in a dark & cool place, but the best place is a wine fridge specially made to moderate the temp (around 56 degrees Fahrenheit) with the proper level of humidity.

Happy Happy….GO BIG BLUE – GIANTS SUPER BOWL CHAMPS!!!

WTG