Drinking old wines this weekend - tips?

[sejanus]

Hi Guys

Drinking 2 older bottles this weekend - never done it before. First one is a 1977 Grange - any tips on how long I should decant it for before serving?

Also a '99 RWT - same question

Thanks!

[Luke W]

Your grange might do all sorts of things and it may be hard to generalise. I'd decant it and then taste it regularly until it seems ok and then pour it back into your cleaned bottle and then seal it until you're ready to drink it. Then it should be fine -if it is ok..The RWT is not old - it is very young and may need a few hours of decanting time or more - do the same with this one starting maybe 6 or 7 hours before service.

[Waiters Friend]

For a 36 year old wine, I would suggest not very long at all.

I am being advised by wine merchants and sommeliers in France to not decant their 20+ year old wines at all. Instead,they recommend pouring into the glasses they will be consumed from, 15 minutes before service. I have bucked this trend and decanted for 30 minutes and not lost a wine, but can understand why I am receiving this advice.

For a more robust wine like a Grange, a decant of no more than 30-45 minutes is my call. For the younger RWT, start with 3 hours and taste it.

[sejanus]

thanks heaps. I'll reply back with how it went.

To be honest my main concern is getting the cork out of the Grange ok!

[dave vino]

I'd be buying an Ah-So/Durand or Cork Pop unless you want to run the Grange through a tea strainer.

[sejanus]

Any idea where I'd go to get one in time for Saturday night?

[tarija]

The Audouze slow-oxygenation method is recommended for the 1977 Grange (maybe 8-12 hours):

http://www.academiedesvinsanciens.com/t ... old-wines/

The RWT is still young so you be a bit "harsher" in decanting it.

[llredwine]

What is the definition of OLD Wine? How old or how many years?
Tea strainer is quite good like Dave mentioned.
I try tea strainer for 1993 Seppelt Drumborg Cabernet Sauvignon. I broke the Cork when I opened it. I couldn't get it all out. I have to use tea strainer as filter. Pour into glass and leave it for 1 hr. The outcome was impressive.
But for Grange, maybe not a good idea.

[daz]

I've used my stainless steel fine meshed tea strainer for crumbled cork. It also catches the larger bits of sediment. The finer sediment I try to leave in the glass and rinse it.

[sejanus]

Had the 99 RWT last night. Gave it about 3hrs in the decanter before first glass, no aerator.

It was interesting seeing it change so much throughout the night

first it tasted like a typical strong shiraz, very spicy with lots of currant flavour. beautiful smell & texture.

then it mellowed out a bit, the spice dropping away, mild oak flavour.

Then it became very wooden, almost too much.

Then finally it took on a bit of a sweet taste, still with a real nice fruit flavour with very minimal oak. The last glass was definitely the best.

We both think the 2010 RWT is a lot better, but the 99 was still a bloody nice wine.

[damonpeyo]

Aged notes is not for everyone, most people I know prefer young-medium aged, while I like them reds bit aged. I know couple guys cellar Wines and when time came, they didn't like it, often pays to sample some aged wines from merchants or auctions before you start up cellar.