New to Collecting Vintage Wines

[sharktanq]

Hello All,

Recently, my wife and I purchased several bottles of wine from Concannon Winery in Livermore, CA. In addition to our normal wine list, we purchased some vintage wines, a 1992 Reserve Zinfandel, a 1992 Reserve Petite Sirah, a 1992 Reserve Assemblage, and a 1985 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. I have been looking around for Vintage Charts that can help me decide how long I can keep them, or if I should drink them soon. I've seen mixed results from various charts, and am not sure which is the best to be consistant, and I've found nothing that charts the Petite Sirah. Can anyone give me some guidance on this?

[Innkeeper]

Hi Shark, and welcome to the Wine Board. Whenever I have such a question, and petite sirah can be all over the map from ready to go to being in need of long time aging, I call the winery. Did just that on a Stag's Leap PS I bought a few years ago (it is still in the rack). Since it is only a local call for you, give them a ringy dingy.

[sharktanq]

Thanks InnKeeper. I will send them a quick email, following up with a call when I get a chance.

Fortunately, Concannon was gracious enough to open the 92 Zin, and the 85 Cab for us to taste when we visited there, and the wines were AWESOME! I should have had the foresight to ask (then) about shelving them. The real quest is the Petite Sirah.

[Kcwhippet]

Sharktanq,

I'm quite familiar with Concannon. There are really no vintage charts that will help you with Livermore Valley wines. Wines made from LV grapes are a bit out of the norm to be tracked on vintage charts. Anyway, that Petite Sirah should last a long time (if they're still making it in their traditional style). I had a 1980 two years ago that could have waited another few years. Somehow, Concannon's PS lasts a really long time (but no guarantees, of course). I believe everything else may be very close to prime drinking time (the 85 Cab may be very, very close). I lived in Livermore for a number of years, and much has changed since I left. Concannon lost Sergio Traverso as a winemaker and Carolyn Wente extended her tentacles and bought them out. I would say that anything pre 1983 is a pretty good bet from Concannon, but you have to ask yourself why they still have 1985 Cab still available for tasting and sale.

[Kcwhippet]

Oops. I meant pre 1993, not 1983.

[sharktanq]

Kcwhippet,

The thought crossed my mind about the 85 Cab, however, the main guy and I had been talking about older wines, and I guess he wanted to impress my wife and I. Besides, it was really close to closing the tasting room, and he gets to choose an open bottle to take home. I can guess what went home with him [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]