Quote:
Originally Posted by Cajundaddy
Don can confirm or correct me on this but I would probably be shopping for a 2009-2010 vintage to put on the table this year for Christmas. If we are going to enjoy a premium Calif wine, might as well allow it to fully develop.
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It's not too hard to make a wine that is drinkable now. Let it hang on the vine, brix goes up, alcohol goes up, toss in lots of new oak, bang -> points + ready to drink. Sorry, not my cup of tea.
As a varietal, Pinot Noir evolves so much that a little patience is well rewarded. However, figuring how long to hold is as much about each vintage and vinification. Some/most Burgs take longer because the grapes are not as ripe, there is Chaptelization in cold years which I think takes longer to integrate.
Speaking for our wines, the 09-10's are drinking great and we have them available from the library. You don't need to go out and get one of unknown provenance. Our 11 is also drinking great, and the 2012 Pinot available now in new online store is also ready to go. Our premium Monoclone PN's are okay, but a couple of years patience will be well worth it.
For alternatives, you can decant the wine for a couple of hours - that works wonders. Or on a more sturdy wine (not Pinot), use a blender or an aerator. Those venturi effect aerators work really well in supermarket wines.
Anyway, I could blather on about wine all afternoon - and for any real wine lovers I'm happy to do so anytime. As long as it is not about Cabernet, the evil weed.
As Tommy Smothers said, "Napa is for auto parts, Sonoma is for wine"