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In Reply to: RE: Trying to achieve? posted by mkuller on February 07, 2010 at 10:36:13
Most wines made today are structured to be enjoyed during the first years after released. The fruit is ripe and the tannins are mild. California and other new world wine producers are giving the world what they want. If you go to a restaurant and order a bottle of Silver Oaks you will enjoy it and it doesn't have to be 5+ years old.
Asking how long to wait for a bottle of 2006 Hourglass, after the wine maker has just told you the fruit is perfect and the tannins are silky, is an example of what I'm talking about. People are laying down wines that don't need to be laid down because they are trying to be wine snobs!
There are wines that will improve with age, but they are a small percentage. Less now than 20 years ago. And I'm not saying that is a bad thing. Wine is meant to be enjoyed, so the more people that are getting into it the better. Just don't miss a wine at it's peak because of dogma.
Follow Ups:
...because of superstitions.I believe you are resisting the idea of wine storage at a constant 59 degrees, too. So if that's the case, buying wine that's best drunk young is probably a good idea.
Between one and three or five years for CA reds IS early compared to say, what Bourdeax need.
If you watch the WS ratings, they also suggest when it is best drunk, stored and consumed by.
Even champagne will mellow out and get more complex with a little bottle age.
That's the beauty of buying a partial or full case - you can taste it periodically along the way to decide when it suits you best.
Some men prefer young women, others young wine.
Personally, I prefer a little mellow maturity on both.
Edits: 02/08/10
if you're using the vintage date as the 2-5 years for California Cabs. Most wines are released 2-3 years after harvest. So you're saying 1-3 more years?The Hourglass Merlot was 2006, so it already had 4 years on it. It was an expensive bottle of wine, about $135. I believe the winemaker, as well as myself, felt the wine was peak.
I guess I'm thinking old school in laying down terms because I think of laying down being upwards of 10 years or more. The classic Bordeaux style needed that much or more to bring everything into balance.
And as for the resistance against 59 degrees via expensive wine refrigerators. My point was that wine is much more stable than people are lead to believe. Huge wholesaler facilities are full of cases upon cases of wines, and not just new wines, they've got past vintages stacked up as well. I've been in them. They don't keep them at 59 degrees. Only when you bring them home do the wines get the chill treatment. Marketing has created the need for wine refrigerators.
Edits: 02/09/10
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