In the recent Wine Advocate issue is a large section on Washington wines. Some of the high points and ageability Dr. Jay gave to these wines has brought up some interesting discussions on the Robert Parker forum.
The most interesting post from one thread comes from Bob Betz, MW of Betz Family Winery. His discussion is about the aging of Washington wine, but it’s also appropriate for any New World style wines.
Hi Folks,
Bob Betz here entering the thread with some thoughts about the recent Washington review, and about longevity of our state’s reds.
We were thrilled with the tone and content, for ourselves and Washington. I always enjoy when our area gets attention from the big boys.
I’ve mulled over the aging issue for years and have some specific thoughts, regardless of wine origin.
At 59 years old I drink and make wine for one reason: pleasure. It’s a tough word to define and we all have our own standards that characterize “pleasure”.
I prefer wines aged to where vigor and complexity intersect: old enough to be harmonious, young enough to excite. Some drinking windows are short, some are long. A lot of wines need to shed their baby fat, integrate components and gain complexity, but I’ve also tasted way too many wines that are dried out, tannic, fruitless and “dead” in the hope that they will “age for a long time”. I find great pleasure in vibrancy and complexity balanced by suppleness, and strive to make wines like that.
Longevity, in and of itself, is not a benefit for me. It is beneficial only if it takes a wine to another dimension of complexity, fullness or richness. If a wine reaches its pleasure peak earlier then all the better.
I look at “drinking windows” as a “plateau” reached after birth and adolescence, each wine having its own plateau length where it delivers maximum pleasure, with the character changing over the plateau. For me, Cabernet has the longest plateau in Washington, lasting maybe 10 to 15 years, and in some cases longer. The wines may live longer, but won’t be as pleasurable for me at 20-25.
Optimum drinking is a moving target that is so personal. There’s a scientific fundamental, however, that is typically overlooked when projecting longevity: pH. A low to moderate pH is more essential to long aging than big tannin, intense fruit and high alcohol. Lower pHs are lacking in many of today’s big reds: long hang time raises the pH of many wines to a point where they are unstable for long term cellaring. Their impression upon release is that they are full, plush, silky and highly pleasurable. They are, but they won’t be with even a few years aging. They can collapse.
It’s tough to specify a “correct” pH, because of the other factors like TA, alcohol and tannin. But when you hit 3.9, 4.0 or 4.1 pH, the microbial and oxidative stability of the wine tumbles.
So for your question, can a Washington red live 37 years. Sure. But will it be pleasurable? Probably not for me. Compare the longevity of our 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille and the 2005 Le Parrain.The Père de Famille has more structure from a high percent CS tannins (84% of the blend, and mostly Red Mountain), and Red Mountain Petite Verdot, low percent MR, and it has a lower pH (3.69). Le Parrain has less CS (50%), and higher concentrations of MR (33%) and CF (17%) which develop earlier in bottle, and a higher pH (3.73).
For my palate, Le Parrain will reach its prime before Pere de Famille, but will deliver an incredible experience during its long plateau. Both are stunning wines that are among the best I’ve made: Le Parrain is so rich and succulent, while the 2005 Père de Famille is our most balanced, expressive and thrilling CS. Both have long drinking windows, probably 10 to 20 years, but in neither case will I hold them to 2045. They both will deliver more excitement and vigor for me at a younger age. (I’ll be 97 in 2045 anyway…)
(If any of you plan to come by this weekend for our Syrah Release, September 8-9, I’ll open them up and we’ll taste together. No need to twist my arm!)Sorry to be so long winded, but I hope this helps.
Bob
