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In Reply to: Wine help requested posted by subcoolman on March 4, 2007 at 15:47:09:
I'm no expert - Mrs.A knows more than I do, but Bruce raises a valid question: wines should be stored horizontally, and in a dark, cool environment around 55-57 degrees if at all possible. Depending on how they were stored and what their shelf life was, they may indeed be undrinkable. Before you make that determination, though, open the bottle and just let it sit with the cork in it (or decant it) for at least an hour. Two or more is better. We often find that wine tastes significantly better the day after it's opened. Here's Mrs. A.:Mrs. A.- Generally whites do not last as long as reds. Tannic wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo (Rioja) and Nebbiolo usually last fairly well; they need 2 to 5 years to mellow, anyway. Merlot is a low tannin wine, but as Mr. A. says, let it breathe before you try it. It might suprise you. It should be fruity, velvety and complex. Same goes for the Bordeaux (red). It comes from a Merlot grape so it should probably has similar qualities. Cellaring wines is a good idea if you have a cool (not cold) spot.
Follow Ups:
Besides the refrigerator the only place I can think to store a bottle of wine for more than week or so, in my house, would probably be in the little crawl-space under the entryway. Uninsulated, and fairly cool even in the summer (below 65 on the warmest days). Would that serve?And Mrs. A: We like whites wines more than reds so drinking them first should not be a problem. But what's a "tannic"? And where should we start, in your opinion? The only wines we know (and like, so far) are Zinfindels (sp?) and some pinkish/red stuff, the name of which escapes me. Dry wines need not apply, both of our pallettes leaning towards the more fruity varieties. Boring? Sure...
Ergo grex, ergo sum.
"Besides the refrigerator the only place I can think to store a bottle of wine for more than week or so, in my house, would probably be in the little crawl-space under the entryway. Uninsulated, and fairly cool even in the summer (below 65 on the warmest days). Would that serve?"Yep. That's exactly where we store ours. As you'll recall, our homes are very similar in construction. We put a cheap rack in there that holds three cases (It's almost never full), and we have our own little wine cellar...works great.
Mrs. A. - Tannins cause the mouth puckering quality of strong tea and are mostly found in red wines.
A good place to start, given your preferences might be a Riesling which is sweet or off-dry (fairly sweet) like Auslese or Spatlese. They taste fruity, like peaches or maybe a hint of citrus. These German Rieslings often come in a blue bottle. Look for the word "Qualitatswein" (or if you are feeling rich, get "Qualitatswein mit Pradikat" or QmP). Those are indicators that you are getting a quality wine. Avoid rotgut at all costs, or you'll never drink wine again. These are good cold (about 10 minutes out of the fridge). I like them in the summer.
You might also try a Viognier. Same bright peachy flavor, a bit less acidity and maybe a bit drier, but still has a bit of sweetness. I have had good ones from France, California and South Africa. Purists will tell you the best ones are from Condrieu, France. Serve as for Riesling. Look for the words "Appellation" and the name of the region on a French wine.
I don't have much experience with Rose wines other than pink Zinfandel, so I can't give any advice other than they seem to be good party wines - for times when you aren't looking for complex flavors.
If you prefer white wines, some of those might be to your liking.I no longer partake of the grape, but when I did I tried a few (can't remember the names) that were very good. I am not talking Blue Nun urine, much better than that.
As Jim's/Gayle's comments suggest that various wines of the "hock" variety (eg Piesporter Michelsberg) may suit their present palate...I would simply observe that a lot of folk find that their taste in wines gradually shifts towards the "drier" examples over time, but that various hocks and the sometimes more delicate Moselles (usually easily identified from their green bottles) should provide some satisfactory experimentation in the meantime....
Drink it. I haven't had a bottle of wine go bad in eons. In fact, nothing has gone bad around here for eons. ;~)I do have references for the success of this method, you can check me out. Can I get an amen out there?
Our problem is usually getting the stock to last from one semi-annual sale to the next. We do have a couple of bottles of chianti that aged beautifully, though. It was a bit rough initially, but after an extra four years in the cellar, wonderful stuff!
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