Unquestionably, different red wine styles have varying aging capabilitiies with some made for the long haul, others not. Vintage/producer vagaries aside, I generally enjoy my Aussie Shiraz and Cabernet between 10-18 years of age, Bordeaux from 15-25 and Burgundy 7-12 (at the lower levels) & 10-18 (for the better premier and grand crus).
What's your preferred drinking window for your favourite reds?
What's your optimum time to drink your favourite reds?
Early morning David?
I like my Australian Cabernets at least greater than 6 years old, enough to get out of the mid-life dip, while most benchmarks greater than 10 years old.
I like the majority, say 80%, of my Australian Shiraz less than 4 years old with the last 20% being the minority of truly balanced Australian Shiraz like Rockford, Huntington
, Hutton Vale, Grange, HOG, and a few others.
Australian Riesling - some early, some up to 8 years.
European - anytime I can get my hands on them!
Adair
I like my Australian Cabernets at least greater than 6 years old, enough to get out of the mid-life dip, while most benchmarks greater than 10 years old.
I like the majority, say 80%, of my Australian Shiraz less than 4 years old with the last 20% being the minority of truly balanced Australian Shiraz like Rockford, Huntington
, Hutton Vale, Grange, HOG, and a few others.
Australian Riesling - some early, some up to 8 years.
European - anytime I can get my hands on them!
Adair
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Martin Phillipson
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2003 1:49 am
David
I generally adopt a 7 yr rule for Cabernet (particularly Coonawarra). I.e I won't try to open them until 7 yrs old. Exceptions of course for Bin 707s and John Riddoch.
As for shiraz, I generally leave them a little bit longer. Exceptions of course for Balmoral, Rockford BP et al which I let snooze a lot longer.
Rieslings are so hard to resist but try to leave em for at least 5 before breaking into the case!
Cheers
MP
I generally adopt a 7 yr rule for Cabernet (particularly Coonawarra). I.e I won't try to open them until 7 yrs old. Exceptions of course for Bin 707s and John Riddoch.
As for shiraz, I generally leave them a little bit longer. Exceptions of course for Balmoral, Rockford BP et al which I let snooze a lot longer.
Rieslings are so hard to resist but try to leave em for at least 5 before breaking into the case!
Cheers
MP
This is not all that simple. Some of the reds are wonderful young and wont get any better so I drink those early. Many of the 2000's from Barossa and McLaren Vale are drinking well now and are short term propositions.
Some of those huge 98's could happily be drunk when babies for there great in your face fruit purity, the Ingoldby Reserve is one that comes to mind. The Tatachilla Foundation is normally not a very long keeper either.
Many of the 96 big reds, even the cheapies like the Bin 61, Maglieri and Elderton are just starting to drink well at 7 years of age. Some are still a few years off.
With Cab, the 98 Mildara White label is perfect now, the 96 St Hugo has just come into in the peak drinking window but then so is the 97 and 94!
The likes of JR, 707, Cullen etc are long term propositions.
So I try to go for the optimal window rather than a rule of thumb based on one thing. There are to many variables.
Some of those huge 98's could happily be drunk when babies for there great in your face fruit purity, the Ingoldby Reserve is one that comes to mind. The Tatachilla Foundation is normally not a very long keeper either.
Many of the 96 big reds, even the cheapies like the Bin 61, Maglieri and Elderton are just starting to drink well at 7 years of age. Some are still a few years off.
With Cab, the 98 Mildara White label is perfect now, the 96 St Hugo has just come into in the peak drinking window but then so is the 97 and 94!
The likes of JR, 707, Cullen etc are long term propositions.
So I try to go for the optimal window rather than a rule of thumb based on one thing. There are to many variables.
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Guest
Agree with all the above comments and I follow a similar trend.
I'm a bit different with new world pinot noir. I like them young, not long off release, with all that dark cherry, new oak and less dominant strawberry qualities. Especially NZ pinot that guarantees this in youth. Australia is hit and miss.
Silky and complex pinot noir wonderous stuff after 5 years or so. But even the regarded producers don't always deliver.
I'm a bit different with new world pinot noir. I like them young, not long off release, with all that dark cherry, new oak and less dominant strawberry qualities. Especially NZ pinot that guarantees this in youth. Australia is hit and miss.
Silky and complex pinot noir wonderous stuff after 5 years or so. But even the regarded producers don't always deliver.
I mainly buy my wines from a good year and towards the top end of the productions.
I don't like drinking top red young because it is unbalanced and too powerful. A general guide. Top aussie red will be at least 10 years, some greater than 15.
Tasted a Grange 96 recently, too powerful, unbalanced between acidity, fruit and tannins.
I do separate my wines into daya to day drinking , mid term and long term. So it is a bit simple and hard to say when I like them
I don't like drinking top red young because it is unbalanced and too powerful. A general guide. Top aussie red will be at least 10 years, some greater than 15.
Tasted a Grange 96 recently, too powerful, unbalanced between acidity, fruit and tannins.
I do separate my wines into daya to day drinking , mid term and long term. So it is a bit simple and hard to say when I like them
When they are ready!
That's one of the many reasons for having a good cellar management system, it allows easy tracking of the prime drinking windows of the wines individually.
From the trusty RB Cellar Master, here is the profile of my cellar for age at estimated peak drinking:
Age at peak - # wines (not bottles)
2 ........1
3 ........ 10
4 ........ 32
5 ........ 68
6 ........ 156
7 ........ 202
8 ........ 239
9 ........ 171
10 ........ 310
11 ........ 54
12 ........ 75
13 ........ 10
14 ........ 9
15 ........ 7
16 ........ 6
19 ........ 2
From the trusty RB Cellar Master, here is the profile of my cellar for age at estimated peak drinking:
Age at peak - # wines (not bottles)
2 ........1
3 ........ 10
4 ........ 32
5 ........ 68
6 ........ 156
7 ........ 202
8 ........ 239
9 ........ 171
10 ........ 310
11 ........ 54
12 ........ 75
13 ........ 10
14 ........ 9
15 ........ 7
16 ........ 6
19 ........ 2
Cheers
Brian
Life's too short to drink white wine and red wine is better for you too! :-)
Brian
Life's too short to drink white wine and red wine is better for you too! :-)
Re: When they are ready!
Red Bigot wrote:From the trusty RB Cellar Master, here is the profile of my cellar for age at estimated peak drinking:
Age at peak - # wines (not bottles)
2 ........1
Got the odd bottle of pinot snuck in there somewhere, eh, Brian?
cheers,
Graeme
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Jacques