August 3, 2010 at 12:32 am (Age, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Collecting, Earthiness, First Growth Bordeaux, Francec, Heat, Laguna Niguel, Merlot, Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Red Fruit, Soil, Storage, Syrah, Tasting, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Earthiness, First Growth Bordeaux, France, Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Ramona Valley, Soil, Syrah, Tasting
I am a lucky person. Recently I was invited to a party in the lovely north San Diego County town of Julian. The party, in honor of friends mother’s birthday, was a blast. Too bad it was 98 degrees that day.
On the drive from Laguna Niguel to Julian, Kim and I discovered that there are 17 wineries in the Ramona Valley. Many of them are growing and producing good wine. The irony of the trip was that of the four tasting rooms visited, we did not like a single Cabernet Sauvignon. The star was Syrah and Merlot. More on this later.
Because of the unplanned tastings, we arrived at the party well after it had started. We barely had a chance to get a plate of food as the caterers were cleaning up.
We ate, visited and all of a sudden our hostess, Ida said, try this wine. “I know you are into wine, you might enjoy this.” Ida told us the story of how she and her husband had bought the wine celebrating their daughters birth year. They bought a case, which in 1981, when the wine was released, cost about $200. For a first growth Bordeaux from Pauillac, no less. The wine has been stored properly and Ida said that since her daughter is not going to get married, she might as well enjoy the wine. She has a few bottles left.
The wine was earthy. It had a nose of stewed fruit and figs. There were slight hints of cherry and definitely tar on the nose. The wine was just beginning to lose its red color as it slowly goes to a dark, brickish color. The tannins were very soft, but the experience was incredible. The acid, earth and lingering fruit stayed with you for quite a long time. It is interesting that lately, as we have opened older wines at California Taste Fine Wine, many customers say the older wines are flat. That they lack fruit. But that is what happens as a wine ages. The fruit does die down a bit and those secondary flavors and tastes come to the front. And we constantly get asked about how long this wine can be cellared.
When drinking a 31 year old wine,what you are left with is a very smooth, supple and delicate wine. Those french know how to make a long lasting wine. Something to remember and a big thanks to Ida.
Now that is Uncorking Happiness.
Leave a Comment
January 8, 2010 at 4:07 pm (California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Heat, Tasting, wine critics)
Tags: California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Pulltex, Taste, Vacu-vin, Zinfandel
Occasionally, it happen that we do no finish the bottle we have opened. And that is okay. The wine tends to actaully be better most of the time the next day. And a few reare wines will hold on for a week or more with just the cork stuck in the top.
But if you want to keep a bottle for a few days, the best things to do are the following. And everyone’s home is different. Different light, heat and even the amount of wine remaining in the bottle will effect it’s longevity.
1. Put the cork back in and place the bottle in the refrigerator. That is for both red and white wines. For reds, take it out and let it get back to room temperature before drinking. You can also put it back in the wine cellar as well. The goal is that since the volume of wine is less than a whole bottle, you do not want the air inside the wine to heat up.
2. Suck the air out. Air is both beneficial and damaging to wine. When you open a bottle of wine, air helps soften the tannins and starts to break down the wine. But the process does not stop once a bottle is opened. Air will eventually turn a wine into what could be very expensive vineger. Could for your lettuce, not so greta in a glass. Vacu-vins and other pump devices do the job nicely. Look for the Pulltex.
3. Gas. There are a number of products o the market that you spray into the bottle to kick out the oxygen. These will help a bottle stay a bit fresher longr, but on occasion, you can taste and smell the gas when a bottle is reopened.
4. Cooking with left over wine is always a good thing. When you can add wine to a dish instead of water, flavors are enhanced . The extra dimension of the wine in the dish makes for layers of flavor.
5. Make wine ice cubes. These are easy to make. Save the cubes in a baggie and use them when you cook.
We will save the discussion of the wines that are good for a week or more for a later blog. So a bottle of wine can be used a day or more. Do not be afraid to Uncork Happiness.
If you have left over
Leave a Comment
September 22, 2009 at 9:46 pm (Heat, Transporting)
Tags: Cellaring, Heat and Wine, Linkedin
The only time you want your wine heated up is for spiced wine or when you are going kosher. But when it gets hot outside, remember that the interior of a car heats up in minutes. For example, when it is 70 degrees external temprature, the interior of a closed car can reach 110 degrees in about twenty minutes.
So to help safeguard your wine find, always purchase from a retail location that is air conditioned. And then place the wine in the trunk, or if inside a car, under a blanket or towel or keep it in a box.
A small amount of heat will not kill the wine, but prolonged exposure to heat will certainly ruin the wine and take away it’s fruity nature.
Do not be afraid to ask a wine professional for help in the best way to transport wine home. We will cover home wine storage in another post.
I am available to help answer questions and consult on building a wine cellar where the wine matches your personal taste. Remember, it is not all about trophy wines, rather what you like and want to drink on a daily basis. Those are the true trophy wines.
Wine is a social beverage, do not be afraid to share.
Uncork happiness!
Leave a Comment
