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+--- Forum: Cabernet Sauvignon (https://www.wines.com/wineboard/forum-19.html)
+--- Thread: 2006 vintage for 20 year+ aging (/thread-4576.html)
- mjaykay - 01-30-2006
Greetings all,
I am hoping to get some advice on a vinyard with a good reputation for a wine that ages well over 20+ years.
We just had our first child and I would like to order a case so we can pull out a bottle on special occassions starting with his high school graduation.
Any and all help is most welcome!
Thank you,
mjaykay
- Innkeeper - 01-30-2006
Hi Mjaykay, and welcome to the Wine Board. To start with you have some time to think about it. You won't see any '06s for a couple or three years. Since you posted here, you must be thinking about California Cabs rather than something else. Our resident expert on that subject is out for a week, but you do have plenty of time since the wine you are looking for hasn't even budded out yet. In the meantime, let me suggest some alternatives. The most solid, dependable wine for real long time aging is Vintage Porto. Others, all less dependable, include Bordeaux (most containing Cabernet Sauvignon), Upper Rhone wines such as Cote Rotie and Hermitage, and Barolos and Brunellos from Piedmont and Tuscany respectively. You will have to wait a while for '06s of all of these.
I'm very glad to see that you were planning to drink the wine and not necessarily your son. The reason for this is even he likes wine (all four of my kids don't), most young people are not into aged out Cabernet or anything else aged out. It is an acquired taste.
[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 01-30-2006).]
- Oenotheque - 02-13-2006
First let me say that this is a wonderful idea. I did something along the same lines for my sister who was born in 84. One of our mutual favorite wineries in Napa is Chateau Montelena. While her 21st birthday was an hommage to Three Wisemen and Car Bombs, her completion of school and return from New Zealand was celebrated with a birthyear bottle of 1984 Montelena Estate Cabernet highlighting an evening of good food, good friends and great wine. She still proudly displays the bottle in her room.
Now as for what to buy well that is more challenging. First a major factor would be your price point. If you are willing to spend a couple grand then the sky is your limit, if you were thinking closer to a few hundred, I would suggest buying fewer bottles of a higher quality label as opposed to the opposite. My reasoning being that it takes a big, finely crafted wine to not only survive the rigors of time, but to mature and improve even. Fruit is the first thing to go, so I would avoid fruit bombs and select something with a strong tannic frame. Montelena Estate would be an excellent selection, as would Shafer Hillside, BV George Latour (I had the 87 a month ago and it was sublime) Viader has shown excellent cellaring, Caymus Special Selection to name a few.
Also consider the other side of the pond for options, 84 worked because it was a great Cali cabernet year, had she been born in 82 we would have been drinking Cheval Blanc. Who knows what 06 will bring other than you will certainly have plenty of options. Also consider your storage facilities, are they the caliber for storing for 20+ years? Maybe buying them ex-chateau closer to your consumption date would make more sense? It will also give you an opportunity to know what his/her tastes will be.
Congratulations and Happy Hunting.
Rob.
- winoweenie - 02-13-2006
Hi MJK and welcome to the board. All of the above is sound advice. Until we know the quality of the vintage it's hard to speculate. Certainly Ch. Montelena is a possibility along with B.V. Private Reserve, Diamond Creek, Caymus Special Selection and Stags Leap Cask 23. Come back and post this question in a ccouple of years and maybe we can give you some direction. Good Luck!. WW