2006-01-20
WINEOLOGY Intelligence for the wine consumer. by Len Napolitano
QUESTION: Do all wines get better with age? ANSWER: Contrary to what you may expect, most wines today are made for consumption while they are still young (within three years of the vintage on the label) and will not improve very much over time.
With red wines, older vintages generally do have more complexity and smoothness than a younger vintage, especially for age-worthy grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and blends containing these grapes.
However, all wines age according to a curve that reaches a peak year of improvement and then begins to decline. It is the best guess of winemakers and wine critics as to when in the life of the wine that peak will occur. My own rule is what I call three plus three: that is, purchase wines that are young (less than three years old) and consume them three years. The only wines in my cellar older than six years old are French red Bordeaux.
White wines reach their peak sooner than reds, so if you have any white wines in your closet with a vintage more than three years old, hurry up and consume them. Finer white wines, priced at around $20 and up, however, are usually structured to withstand a little more time in the bottle, but I would still recommend applying the three year rule.
The issue of vintage can be complex. There are wine vintage charts (available as a reference resource in many wine stores) that list wine regions around the world and rate each vintage year according to its quality, which is primarily determined by that year’s weather. Weather in a given year is more critical in France, for example, than in California because wine production laws in France prohibit irrigation of vines. The climates in California wine regions are fairly consistent year-to-year, making differences between vintages less meaningful. My recommendations for this week are:
Red:
Kendall-Jackson Syrah
Vintner’s Reserve, California, 2003
The broad California AVA (American Viticultural Area) can sometimes
produce wine as interesting as a smaller, specific grape growing region
(Santa Barbara, for example) and this wine proves it. When it happens,
as in this case, it will usually indicate a very good value. Black
cherry and licorice come to mind with this one. $12
Barton & Guestier (B&G) Beaujolais
France, 2004
Consistently good, year to year, B&G produces another light,
delicate, cherry-rich wine that is refreshing and very food-friendly.
At it’s best when consumed within two years of vintage. Also OK to
serve just slightly chilled. $10 Send your questions about wine to: wineologist@earthlink.net
© 2005 Wineology is a registered trademark of Len Napolitano.
Wine writer, educator, and Certified Specialist in Wine by the Society of Wine Educators,
Len Napolitano makes his home in the Paso Robles wine region,
the heart of California’s Central Coast wine country.
Related Information
|
