Taste it Again / Lost & Found

On occasion, I’ll take a wine I like and put it away in a “special box” for a few years to see how it will age … below you will read happened to those wines. On the other hand, there are wines that get “lost” in my wine cellar with nary a review ever written - some have turned into golden Treasures, others supreme Trash and then there are those that fall somewhere in-between (Tolerable). We’ll look at those here too. (New wines are being added all the time so keep coming back):

Lost & Found : Cave Spring 2007 La Penna

12 Mar 2021

Cave Spring 2007 La Penna

 

(October 3, 2020) ... How's this for a blast from the past? Made from dried Cabernet Sauvignon, which Cave Spring no longer grows ... the alcohol is 14%, which is pretty respectable for a dried grape wine (especially when they can get up to 16-17%). Very leathery and smoky with dried black cherry, rich tannins and even some notes of dates, raisins and figs.

I also decided to pull out the decanter for this one (a rarity for me) just to do a half bottle test (half into the decanter, half natural aging) ... decanted it became very silky, sure it was smoky and tobacco laced, but there was an undercurrent of herbal and menthol - strange but not unappealing.  Then I gave a nod to my friend Dave (who plays mixologist at the end of most nights he opens up many bottles) and blended both the decanted and un-decanted versions: alcohol showed through, but there was also some black cherry and cassis / kirsch-like notes ... it suddenly became a better bottle because it had structure and yet retained some character ... bottom line: decant half the bottle and then pour equal amounts from both the decanted and the bottled. Not sure how much more time this wine has but I'd say a few at most.

 

 

Taste it Again : Hidden Bench 2015 Chardonnay

18 Feb 2021

Hidden Bench 2015 Chardonnay

 

(September 17, 2020) ... Now this was a real "wow-wee" kind of wine when I originally tasted it, and now, some 5 years later, it's time to taste it again ... I have often said that Chardonnay from Ontario gets kinda wonky after 7 years so let's see how the 5 year mark works out with this one:

The nose if very toasty with caramel apple and apple cobbler notes - now that is appealing and a good sign ... the taste is creme brulée and bananas foster, with hints of sweet vanilla and very subtle lemon drop - all held together by a short finish ... it's a nice wine now, but as it sits and the air comes in that oak starts to power its way to the forefront and might end up being this wine's downfall with more time in bottle. My guess is that in another year those tertiary notes take over - so if you like your Chardonnay with some fruit notes it's time to drink up.

 

see the original review

 

 

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