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Written by Len Napolitano
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Sunday, 30 November 2008 00:00 |
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Are older vintages always better than younger ones?
Contrary to what you may expect, most wines today are made for consumption while they are still young (within a year or two of the vintage on the label) and will not improve much over time.
With red wines, you can generally bank on an older vintage having more complexity and smoothness than a younger vintage, especially for age-worthy grapes, such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot and blends containing these grapes.
Because red wines contain age-friendly tannins originating from contact with grape skins and stems, and from aging in oak barrels, they continue to develop and mature inside the bottle and become more drinkable over time. |
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Written by OFER ZEMACH
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Thursday, 27 November 2008 00:00 |
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Wine is like a living thing and constantly changes with age. That's probably why quite a lot of wine tastes better even with only a few months in the cellar.
Many times when having friends for dinner or celebrating a special occasion, I find lots of pleasure and satisfaction in being able to choose a wine from my collection, taking out its cork and enjoying the benefit of age that has made the wine ready to drink.
For a wine to get better with age in the cellar, it needs to have three characteristics: flavor concentration, good acidity, and balance. It is important though, to understand that not all wines will improve with extended cellaring. |
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Written by Angela Ann
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Tuesday, 18 November 2008 02:42 |
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Finding the perfect date can be tough at times. But it’s a little easier to find a wine date for your Thanksgiving feast. There are all those “wine rules” you have to follow… right? Forget about those stuffy rules and just drink what you like. Although one thing you should probably do is serve both red and white wines so your guests have a choice. You might even consider serving a sparkling wine if you’re feeling extra festive.
If you still need a little direction, never fear. I have consulted some folks in the wine industry to help guide us. With their help I’ve compiled a list at different price points, to fit almost anyone’s budget. The categories are $10-$20, $20-30, $30-40 and $40-$60. I know some of you aren’t Americans and don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. But hey, if you can afford a tasty bottle of wine, then you have something to be thankful for. So consider cooking a turkey and inviting a bunch of friends and family over and share in the American holiday. |
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Written by BRIAN GOODELL
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Friday, 07 November 2008 00:00 |
In France, the grape is called Syrah. Widely grown in the Rhone region, it finds its way into some of the world's greatest wines.
Syrah is the grape of Hermitage and Cote Rotie. It plays a major role in Gigondas, Chateauneuf Du Pape, Cote Du Rhone, and others.
Down under, the Aussies call it Shiraz. Not only does it make great Hermitage wines on that continent as well, but it experienced a huge boom as a varietal in the global wine trade when Australia began to export inexpensive, good tasting expressions of the grape.
At its best, it is an age worthy, full bodied red wine with deep color and complexity of flavor. At it's worst, it's usually still pretty good as a barbecue or pizza wine.
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Written by The Seattle Times Company
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Wednesday, 05 November 2008 00:00 |
Paul Gregutt answers wine questions from readers. This week: what clues should one look for to determine if a wine will improve with more cellar time?
Q: As you are tasting a wine, what criteria do you use (tannins, etc.) to decide if it would improve with time?
A: Most of the wines I taste are quite young, as the rush to be the first to market the newest vintage tends to hurry up release dates. But I've found it is not that difficult to get a fairly good idea of how a wine will age.
In general what I look for in a young wine is aromatic complexity; balance in the mouth; no excessive alcohol, oak or tannin; and the ability to reveal more and more layers as it breathes open. A good way to guesstimate its future prospects is to decant it and taste it over the course of several hours. Sometimes, if I think a wine is really wrapped up tight, I taste if a few times, then put the cork back in the bottle, and simply let it breathe in the bottle overnight. If it has improved the next day, it generally means that it will likely improve with more cellar time.
Paul Gregutt answers questions weekly in the Wine section. He can be reached by e-mail at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company |
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