When you move for the first time in 26 years, it gives you an opportunity to discover a bunch of things. In my case, old wines. I wish Open That Bottle Night (OTBN) were now and not in February, because I have many begging to be poured down the sink 🙂 Just for fun, I’ll share what I found.
On the Good Side
One shelf in my wine fridge is dedicated to old wines, and I continue to be excited about them. The main ones I have are from V. Sattui and Cooper Garrod. They’re all around the year 2005. I used to have many older wines, but those went by the wayside through years of celebrating OTBN.
On the Bad Side
Let’s start with a 2003 Testarossa Pinot Noir. How sad. According to PinotFile, “Most California Pinot Noir is ready to drink upon release, but may improve after a few years in bottle. It is the rare bottling that takes on an ingratiating personality over the long term.” Boo hoo. This old wine ain’t going to be good.
I have a 2005 Jepson Chardonnay from Mendocino County. Reviewers are recommending other wines. But hey, I’ll try it.
Next is a 2006 Torres Gran Vina Sol Chardonnay from Penedes in Spain. Here is the critic tasting note for this wine, which currently sells for $11 on average worldwide: “The bouquet deals some peach, custard and a slight hint of oak, while the palate runs racy, fresh and citrusy. If you like a fresher style with strong orange and tropical fruit flavors, this is your ticket. It’s a controlled wine that meets expectations. With 15% Parellada.” – 87/100, Wine Enthusiast
My question is when was the review done? Three reviewers gave the wine three stars out of a five-star rating. Again, when did they taste the wine? I’m guessing a long time ago. So, I’ll try this one too. But I’m not expecting much. It looks like mac and cheese is being called for, both for this one and for the Jepson.
The next old wine is a WineShop At Home White Bordeaux. I love White Bordeaux wines, which are a combo of about 80 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 20 percent Semillon. Here’s what Last Bottle says about White Bordeaux ageability: “It’s often aged in oak, which can lend more phenolic compounds that help preserve it longer. Stick to higher-end producers from Pessac-Leognan, which can show their best side after 3-5 years. Some of the very best examples can age gracefully for decades.” This one could be interesting.
I have 12 more boxes of wine that I haven’t yet gotten through. So I might find a few more oldy moldy bottles. We’ll see. Do you have any old wines that you are thinking about drinking right now?
