A Three-Strikes Evening of Wines Gone Bad

During a recent special occasion, I decided to pull out some older wines to share. Not really old, but from 2010, 2009 and 2007. All were reds - a couple Barberas (a favorite of mine) and a Zinfandel.

These weren't amazing bottles to begin with or terribly expensive, but they were good enough that I had put them away in my wine refrigerator in a dark spot. So, the storage shouldn't have been an issue.

But, as the title of this blog indicates, it didn't go well.  The corks all extracted well, with no obvious signs of trouble.

The 2010 Barbera's flavor had changed dramatically. What had been a smooth and well-rounded wine had become an off-flavored fruity wine. Again, it was somewhat drinkable, but nothing like when originally purchased. Strike one!

The 2009 Barbera, from a different winery, was heavily oxidized, brownish in color and nutty in flavor. Not drinkable. Strike two!

The 2007 Zinfandel was no longer anything like the Zinfandel it once was. Its flavors were very off and the bottle was quickly put aside.  Strike three!

Fortunately, my wine refrigerator is well stocked and I was able to pull out a great bottle of Cabernet for the occasion.

The moral of the story - don't assume that your wines will hold up with age. If you like the way a wine tastes,  drink it soon. Putting away wines for several years will change them. A few for the better, but often times the change is for the worse.

Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week

Tio Pepe Fino ($20)

This Tio Pepe Fino Sherry is from the Jerez region of Spain. Jerez is the home of sherry and all true Sherry comes from the vineyards around Jerez.

Made from the Palomino grape, this Sherry uses only the free run and first press must. Following fermentation, the 11-12% ABV wine is fortified to 15.5%  before entering the Tio Pepe solera. There it spends a minimum of four years in oak.

This Sherry has wonderfully light flavors and low acidity making it a perfect aperitif. It does have some hints of toasted almond. Serve it well chilled and enjoy!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Rebekah Polster, Donna White Communications

How Well Do Wines Hold Up with Time?

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, February 2018

Last time we looked at the factors that make a wine more capable of bottle aging. And, somewhat surprisingly, there are very few wines that actually hold up well in the bottle, even with proper storage.  So then, what wines do hold up?

The results reported in Wine Enthusiast's 2018 Vintage chart (February 2018) are very revealing. As you might expect, wines from the Bordeaux region of France can hold up very well. And, most of the wines from Bordeaux are still currently at their peak dating back to 1998.  Twenty years!  But beyond that, the vintage guide suggests that wines before 1998 are likely in decline and may be undrinkable.

Then there are the California wines.  Again, as you might expect, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon's are holding up well back to 1994. But, the real surprises come with other wines that just aren't as age-able.  For instance, the Napa and Sonoma Zinfandel's are only showing good back to 2007. Russian River Pinot Noir is showing good back to 2007, while a Syrah from the Central Coast of California is only holding up back to 2010.

So, the key point to remember is that only select wines are really age-worth while most others have a relatively short time that they remain drinkable. This is a lesson that a lot of us learn the hard way. We hold on to really nice wines and wait and wait for that special occasion to open them.  But, as I recently learned, I held some too long. And I'll share that story next time. Until then, Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week

2016 Lusco Albariño ($25)

This 100% Albariño by Lusco is from Rias Baixas, in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain, located along the Atlantic coastline.

Imported into the U.S. by González Byass, this wine is fermented with natural yeasts produced by the grape. After its fermentation, the wine remains on lees for six months. This results in a more rounded and balanced wine.

It has great tropical flavors of pineapple and grapefruit with good acidity that is quite refreshing.

This is another nice wine to enjoy on a warm spring day or during the summertime. One sip and it will win you over!  Enjoy this one!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Donna White Communications

The Factors that Make a Wine More Capable of Bottle Aging

We've now worked our way through how a wine gets its flavor - from the grape, the skins, seeds and stems, fermentation, barrel aging and last time we touched on bottle aging. There we learned that most wines are not meant for long-term bottle aging. But, what does make a bottle of wine age worthy?

It may seem obvious, but the color and the type of grape are very important. Red wines are best at bottle aging because of their natural tannin from the grape skin, seeds and stem as well as from barrel aging. This is most common in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.  White wines generally don't age well and should be consumed young.

The vintage, or the year the grapes were grown, can significantly affect a wine's ability to age well. The balance of tannin and acid in a particular year may lend the resulting wine to better aging prospects.

Where the wine is from can also affect its ability to age. There are key regions, such as Bordeaux France and Napa California that produce very age-worthy grapes.

And finally, storage conditions are also key. Wines must be stored in cool conditions (~58 degrees F) and away from light.  Even a great wine will quickly be damaged by heat and light.

Next time, we'll take a look at specific regions and wines for their age worthiness. You may be surprised by some of the guidelines. Until then, Cheers!