The Auswine Forum

What follows is not news to me, as such, and indeed it will be to few people...but it bears mention nonetheless. Having shared in a bottle of a 2002 McLaren Vale Shiraz this evening, one recently rated very highly by one James Halliday, I was left most unimpressed. I did know that the wine was being served too warm, but not by much. It was short, too savoury, and showed a noticable level of alcohol warmth. The rating granted the wine certainly seemed generous by at least 10%. A little concerned that Mr Halliday's palate may have been botched or, worse yet, bought, I decided to take home a bottle of Turkey Flat Shiraz 2002 that had arrived in the same delivery. Having tried this wine directly from my 'cellar' just a few days ago, I had the opportunity to make an interesting comparison. The new arrival weighed in at around 21 degrees celcius; probably closer to 20 than 22 on the 'collar'-style thermometer, in any case. Bottles from the 'cellar', checked reasonably often recently, have tested at what must be about to 17 degrees after an hour or two exposed to room temperature, maybe a little closer to 18 than 16. The difference that this variance of some 3 to 4 degrees makes is truly profound. The general spectrum of flavours remains similar, but the wine finishes short, again with noticable alcohol warmth, and the depth of flavour, the level of 'layers' if you will, is reduced to a point where comparison becomes black and white. Now, I've known for quite some time that serving temperature is important, but the level of contrast effected by such a small change is almost unbelievable. I'd love to know what temperature Halliday tasted this one at, AND to reproduce it! One thing I know for sure is that my every effort will be exerted to ensure that wines are served close to their ideal temperature in future; a maxim I've long held, but perhaps not strongly enough?

Jakob,

I am not sure I follow this, are you saying the wine that was cooler was better?

TORB wrote:Jakob,

I am not sure I follow this, are you saying the wine that was cooler was better?

Yes, and markedly so. The difference just blew me away, and the temperature variance was not that great. I suppose ambient and glass temperature would have a moderating effect, making the difference in temperature of the wine at the point of consumption even less. It seems I've used the word temperature quite a bit there Both wines are quite high in alcohol, and the associated heat really shows itself even in the Turkey Flat when at the higher temperature; palate length, depth and complexity are severely affected also.

Jakob,

I agree with your comments completely and often in summer put a freezer sleeve around a bottle to keep the temperature reasonable.

Last Saturday night, it was interesting to hear people say, on numerous occasions, "this wine is too cold" when I though it was perfect drinking temperature. Thats what you get for living in a cold climate spot in winter.

I know only too well the effect that such extremes of temperature can have on a wine. I recall opening a 94 Yalumba Signature to have with my mum for her birthday last year. I loved it, dark fruits and awesome structure.

I tried some of hers and got really worried, since all I could taste was dead fruit and virtually no finish to speak of. I asked her about it, and she told me that I was just being silly, that she always gave her wine 20 seconds in the microwave to "help it breathe!"

WTF!?!

No way I was arguing with my mum, but it rammed home to me the effect of serving temperature on any wine.

Jakob:

The greatest revelation I have had as regards temperature and wine came after I started attending regular tastings at Vintage Wines here in San Diego. More often than not the wines tasted great. Friends and I would buy some, take them home, but when we would try them they often times never tasted the same. Then people started saying what great value Rosemount Shiraz was and I never believed them until we tasted it blind at Vintage. Why does this wine taste so different, so good? Well the clue came when I once again bought the wine during one of my trips home to Oz for Xmas. A few bottles of Aussie wine to share with wine friendly relatives at a BBQ in Dubbo, NSW. Ever been to Dubbo? Not the most cool of summer climes in December. I have to confess I've never really bought a decent bottle of wine there; and I've been going back there year in and year out for too many years to remember now!! It was very slow in coming, but it finally hit me. Where was the airconditioning in the wine shop? Hell, where was the airconditioning out on the farm? We didn't even have it back in our home in San Diego. The only place that was the correct temperature was Vintage Wines. Its always the correct temperature, they always worrry about what the temperature is and they know what temperature means to wine. Its taken me 20 odd years to try to get my act together on keeping my wines at a decent temprature and I'm almost there, but its the one thing that I worry about more than anything else.

Currently getting wines to the table and keping them at a constant and agreeable temperature is a serious concern. With this recent summer heat wave we have had here its not even worth drinking wine during the day unless you do have airconditioning. Any leftovers have to go back into the cellar or 'fridge or else they will get hot and a quick swirl will result in a face full of volatiles. If it wasn't for the health benefits of this stuff........

Mike

KMP wrote:Hell, where was the airconditioning out on the farm? Currently getting wines to the table and keping them at a constant and agreeable temperature is a serious concern. With this recent summer heat wave we have had here its not even worth drinking wine during the day unless you do have airconditioning.

Mike,

My farm house has air conditioning cause its a mandatory requirement for being a true red bigot. No wucking furries drinking reds at my place in summer.

TORB wrote:My farm house has air conditioning cause its a mandatory requirement for being a true red bigot. No wucking furries drinking reds at my place in summer.

Hi Ric:

Here in SoCal we are a few miles inland from the ocean and on a canyon and its usually very mild - predicted over the next week to be in the 70sF; and that's pretty much the average for the year. (The annual average is 64 but that is probably down on San Diego Bay near the airport.) There will be a few hot and cold days summer and winter respectively but its not Dubbo for sure. So we have heating! However its not great weather to store wine in for any length of time without a cellar. Unfortunately this summer has been warmer than usual and so I lie low until the sun sets before I put out a red one.

Cheers,
Mike

Some interesting stories there Dave, (un)fortunately, I don't have a microwave to experiment with but that's one of the most amusing wine related anecdotes I've read in long a while; cheers.

Despite coming from my underground cellar (low temperature variation but not constant year round) my summer reds alway spend half 15 - 30 minutes in the fridge to bring them down to European room temperature not Australian