Don't Close the Curtain Yet! You Haven't Even Heard the Encore

A series of unfortunate incidents transpired recently at the Corkscrew, where I hang my hat peddling wine and cheese. The first time I let it go, merely an isolated incident I thought. Not three days later  it bloody well happened again. I couldn't let this fly under the radar especially given the possibility one of these customers would start to spread falsehoods. It is not one to be glossed over especially given that it occurred twice.  I was deeply concerned, even slightly annoyed.  My job, as well as my colleagues, is to educate, inform and when called upon to entertain. This was no time to entertain. This was a grave matter.  Buckling down , I was determined to stop it dead in its tracks. I am referring, of course, to ageism and the hapless victim: older vintage wine.

Recently, our sales-hungry distributors unearthed some hidden treasures from Italy and Australia buried deep within the recesses of their warehouse. "You will never guess what I found, " they exclaim like a wide-eyed child who found his Boy Scout project from years ago. 

Also, we occasionally establish contact with individuals who just impetuously decide their cellar is just too overwhelming so they elect to consign their wines with us (tough burden to bear, I know) or someone has died and left a supposed treasure of wine. One in particular, a cabernet from a huge, star-wattage vineyard in Napa, more about that later. 

Naturally, we are suspicious. We have to taste it before we strike a deal. Distributors know this, can't rely on their good word. Some are over the hill, like a long forgotten, Hollywood B-lister, the wines not the distributors that is. All their glory has faded. It's over for them. However, on occasion, due to impeccable cellaring, skill of the winemaker and a fortunate growing season, these wines have withstood the test of time. They've lingered, simmered, gathered dust, thirsting for an oenophile to appreciate all of its wonderful virtues They have more to bring to the table than their lusty, nubile, brand-spanking counterparts. For one reason or another, not everyone appreciates those virtues. What they perceive as lethargic and over-the-hill is a wine just hitting its stride. 

You wouldn't dismiss Meryl Streep as a viable actress just because she is in her 60s. Could you have imagined her playing the coldly confident magazine editor in the Devil Wears Prada while in her 30s . It never would have worked. Same theory applies here. 

The  stunning 1999 Colle Bereto Chianti Classico possessed all the essential ingredients for aging: formidable tannins, front and center acidity and dark red fruit. Upon release, yes it was promising but no where near its potential, but 11 years later it is stunning. No need for a decant as age had taken care of that issue. The tannins and acidity are gentle and the fruit is darker, not a bright and sexy red that some people prefer ( this is probably what our customer was hunting for, he, consequently, just wasn't keen on the wine, but it was by no means ready to call it quits). Herbs, antique aromas and earth fleshed out the profile. Better yet, the wine was still smiling two days, two days mind you, after opening. Guess who enjoyed the remainder of that bottle with a some pasta and a mushroom-based red sauce? It was such an enlightening experience.

The other matter involved a Cakebread Cabernet from the superb 1994 vintage in California. The man's mother insisted the wine was "no good". We smiled and took the bottle back. No point in arguing,we're not going to hold a grudge. And the condition of the wine?  It was on top of the world. Savoury, dark, and subtle, it bore no resemblance to the flashy, oaky and flamboyant fruit many gravitate towards. And if you have a predilection for that sort of thing, more power to you. Wine, just as humans, change and evolve over time. Are you going to be the same 15 years from now? How interesting would that be?

And just in case you assume whites aren't as durable as their red cousins, think again. In fact, as I write this, I have fallen in love with a 10-year-old Pinot Blanc from the Alsace region of France. Expressing a lanolin texture and fruit profile of lemon and apple, its endurance was all but guaranteed by a steady stream of stimulating acidity. My selection of baked cod topped with almonds and chives made a marvelous companion.

The 2000 Stanley Brothers Cabernet from the Barossa Valley beautifully illustrates Australia's range with cabernet.  Stored at cellar temperature (55 degrees), it upends the notion that Aussie wines are nothing but in-your-face, instant gratification guzzlers. Unfolding with accents of vanilla, earth, dusty tannins and suggestions of dark plum and cherry, this refined gem is all about finesse and balance with bold fruit and power assuming a secondary role. Forget those naysayers who insist  Aussie wine doesn't age, au contraire.

Granted, most wine, 95% approximately is meant to be consumed with a 1-3 year window. If it bears a modest price point and the winery is churning out thousands of cases, its life span is limited. No, I am sorry, you are wasting your time if you expect your beloved Yellow Tail to improve with age. Simply put, its days are numbered as soon as the checker rings it up at the grocery store. I would be extremely nervous if someone offered me glass of 2002 Yellow Tail Shiraz. Pop the cork and take it for what it is, an enjoyable one-night encounter, nothing more, nothing less.

Point being, older vintage wine is not always for everyone so don't waste a first or second growth Bordeaux on a friend who guzzles mass produced bulk wine. It is incumbent upon wine educators to inform our clients of the changes wines undergo after they mature. Some are still quite vibrant and relevant, they are emboldened by their age,  and  for those whose palates have evolved right along with the wine I have mentioned, you are in for one hell of a ride.

Cheers

Michael