2013 Hess Select Central Coast Pinot Noir ($16)
This Pinot Noir is from the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey, CA . Nice red fruit flavors of sour cherry, rhubarb and Pomegranate. Another fine Pinot Noir from California at a very reasonable price.
Are Older Wines Better?
It's commonly believed that older wine is better. And that can be true. But often, it's not.
If you've read some of my past blogs, you know that one of my favorite lines is that a wine cellar is not a wine hospital -- it doesn't make a bad wine better.
Today, most wine is meant to be enjoyed right away. When it's bottled, it's ready for consumption. Ageing doesn't make it better.
What you will find is that older wines do indeed change. On the positive side, tannins in red wines will mellow making the wine feel smoother in your mouth. But, on the down side, the big fruit flavors and aromas also fade. You'll begin to get different smells and tastes in older wines that you may not expect from a young wine. Especially if the wine is oxidized, you'll detect a distinct nutty flavor. Also, as red wines age, the red color changes from deep red to a much paler red and can even begin to take on orange colors.
A good rule of thumb is that most wines will begin to fade to the down side in as few as five years and after 10 years they'll generally have lost most of their character, if not out-right spoiled. And, remember, this aging must be done properly in a cool, dark place.
So, older wines can be better. But, you don't need to age wines to be able to drink great wines.
Next time we'll look at old wines and their appeal. Cheers!
Behind the Cork ™ - Wine of the Week
2014 Oak Ridge Lodi Ancient Vine Zinfandel ($12)
This Zinfandel has great dark fruit flavors, a bit of black pepper and nice chocolate, vanilla and caramel from its oak aging. While this Zinfandel varietal is made from at least 75% of the Zinfandel variety of grape, it is also blended with some Petite Sirah to create this full-bodied wine with low tannin for a nice smooth texture.
Do You Know a Variety from a Varietal?
There are a lot of confusing wine terms. And there seems to be constant confusion over the difference between a variety and a varietal. Yet, it's quite simple.
Old World wines, most notably from western European countries such as France, Italy, Spain and Germany, identified their wines by region. So, with French wines, you'll find the wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Loire Valley and the Rhône Valley. Italy has Chianti, Spain has Rioja and Germany has Pfalz and Franken. If you know the region, you know the wines and the grapes used to produce them.
But the New World, most notably California, decided on a different tact. Instead of just growing grapes by regions, the early winemaker found that California's climate and soils were excellent for growing many grapes and producing many wines. So, they focused on selling wines that identified the type of grape used in its production. This is where the two words come in. Various grape varieties are used to produce varietal wines. While Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir are each a grape variety, when they are used exclusively to produce a wine, the wine is considered a varietal wine.
Now, as usual, things are never quite so simple. In California, wines using varietal names must derive at least 75% of their volume from the grape variety designated. So, yes, when you buy a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, it's made from the Cabernet Sauvignon variety of grape. At least 75% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The other 25% of the grape variety(s) used can be left to the winemaker's creativity.
Nonetheless, just remember when you pick up a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, know that you are purchasing a varietal wine made with the Cabernet Sauvignon variety of grape. Cheers!
Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week
2015 Blackstone Winemaker's Select California Merlot ($5)
The theme of Behind the Cork ™ - Wine of the Week is to feature affordable and attainable wines that are enjoyable to drink. This Merlot fits that description. This Merlot is blended with 14% Syrah, 4% Petite Sirah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Malbec. But it's the 79% Merlot that shines through. Nice black cherry, plum fruit flavors along with chocolate and vanilla from its oak aging.