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+--- Thread: Held Too Long (/thread-6197.html)
- Innkeeper - 05-14-2000
Opened our last 1988 Chateau Puy Blanquet, Saint Emillion last night as a pre-Mother's Day treat for mother (Maine lingo for "wife"). Decanted it carefully as there was a gob of sediment on the bottom as expected. The wine was red (viz-a-viz brown), was barely OK, but far from good or great. Of coarse the fruit was long gone. The tannins were polished, and acid was still present. The latter methinks led to it's early demise. There must have been much more acid than tannins to begin with. The body was thin; sort of dishwater consistency. Another six months and it would have down the drain. Come to think of it, when we opened a sister bottle a few years ago, we noted and then forgot to open this one soon thereafter. Still think, all other things considered, that there is more danger in holding a wine too long, than in opening it too soon.
- mrdutton - 05-14-2000
Well I hope that the meal (food), at least was decent. And with you and your wife at the helm, I'm willing to bet it was quite decent!!
- winecollector - 05-15-2000
With regard to your comment of there being more danger in holding a wine too long, than in opening it too soon: This is where it really pays off to know your producers and the best vintages for long term duration. I tend to be more cautious not to open a wine too soon. In the past three years that I have been back into wine collecting, I've probably opened about 300 bottles. Of those, there has not been even one that I have opened that has been past peak due to my keeping it too long. On the other hand, I have had several experiences where I wish I would have waited to open a bottle because I ended up opening it too soon. I still hesitate to open up most of my 89'& 90' Bordeaux's as well as any of my 82's. Same thing with most of my 1990 Italian Piedmont's. I hate it when I open up a bottle prematurely. It's a real waste of a good wine- much the same as holding one too long.
- Innkeeper - 05-15-2000
Guess we were both guilty of using the term "wine" too genericly. Agree that some such as practically all Brunellos, and most Piedmontese and Upper Rhones can be safely aged for long periods. However, we have become very concerned about most of the Bordeaux and their Californian cousins being made today. Because of the demands of the Nouveau Riche, a lot if not most of these wines are being made for consumption on release, and many more than in the past simply do not age well at all.
- winecollector - 05-15-2000
You make a good point about the current trend of most of the Californian wines as well as many Bordeaux being made to be consumed upon release. Obviously, you don't want to hang on to those for any length of time. I usually only keep a couple of those "every day drinkers" laying around for unexpected company. Unless it's a wine with at least "some" aging potential, or a wine I intend to drink a lot of, I just buy them when necessary. That way, I can devote the majority of my cellar to the really good stuff!
- Jason - 05-15-2000
Let me pose the next query. Does a wine have to be ageworthy to be one of quality?
- mrdutton - 05-15-2000
Au contr.... oh heck, I forgot the spelling....... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]
On the contrary....... a good wine can also be young.
A recent example: 1998 Jean Descombes Morgon. A cru beaujolais grown from a single growth, bottled at the estate and distributed by Georges Dubeouf. Wonderful stuff!
- winecollector - 05-16-2000
Correct you are, mrdutton! It all depends on what your expectations and plans are when you purchase a particular wine. For example, when I purchase a wine, I decide at that time if it is a wine I will be opening in the near future, or a wine I am specifically buying to age. The majority of the wine I've purchased from George Dubeouf is early drinking wine, and in my opinion, pretty good wine for the price. I only have one bottle of anything they've made that I consider "ageworthy." If I were to age a wine that is meant to drink young though, it would be an error in judgement on my part. Just the same, if I were to open a wine prematurely that was meant to age, it would also be a waste of a "good" wine.
There was in interesting letter to the editor in the last Wine Spectator, where a guy compared aging a wine to growing vegetables. If your growing a garden, as soon as the tomatoes appear is not the appropiate time to pick them- you want to wait for them to mature. By doing this, you'll be able to enjoy them much more when they ripen, or when they are at peak. Otherwise, if you don't want to wait, you go down to your local grocery store and buy some tomatoes that are supposed to be ready to eat, and have these available until yours are ready to pick. While the grocery store tomatoes may be "good" (so to speak) and enjoyable, nothing beats the taste of a fresh tomato out of your own garden, one that you've been waiting for the appropiate time to enjoy.
By using discernment on what to age and what to drink young, I hopefully won't be as likely to end up with a bunch of rotten tomatoes! That way, I can enjoy good quality wine at anytime, ageworthy or not.
[This message has been edited by winecollector (edited 05-16-2000).]
- winoweenie - 05-28-2000
WC and MrD, I think both of you have great expectations without basic reasoning. Will your Morgon age as well as a Guigal Cote Rotie? Of course not. The great vineyards of Bordeaux AND CALIF all are rpoducers of wines that not only will age but have a track history. Caymus, Diamond Creek, Ch. Montelena,Mondavi Res, BV Reserve, Grigich-Hills, Arrowood, Forman, Ad Infinitum are extremely age-worthy wines.Generally, you can take the Bodeaux classification of 1855 and the Growths ist thru 5th are pretty much the way these puppies relate in quality. You may find an exception in a vintage but they are Exceptions.Again, Clos Rene Sure `Aint no Petrus or Trotonoy. Life`s not fair. Winoweenie
- mrdutton - 05-31-2000
I don't expect to age the Morgon. I expect to drink it young.