I am going to talk a bit about Cabernet with some age on it. Tango just stumbled upon a 10 case lot of a 9 year old Australian Cabernet from Burton Winery, who no longer imports into the US. The distributor needed to move their remaining product and we negociated an awfully nice deal on it (check out the wineries price @ www.burtonpremiumwines.com, we are a "bit" less)!
"Aged" can mean many things. France and Italy generally don't start discussing age until at least 15 years for red. California can be a mere 5. Nine years for a inexpensive Australia red is definitely aged!
Aged reds can often be like the Grandfather that seldomly visits. Usually cranky on the ride home from the airport, he can be abrasive until he gets his bags unpacked and is in a comfortable chair. While he is never going to be as cool and chatty as the uncle that is only a little older than you (we all have one), once he is in his zone, Grandpa is great in his own right and usually has some pretty interesting stories to tell.
Aged reds, in this case Cabernet Sauvignon, need to get into their comfort zone, and pulling the cork and pouring isn't going to do it. Just like that ride from the airport! Frequently they need to breathe. That can mean decanting or letting them sit, in a glass, for a "while". The while is completely dependant on the particular grandpa. Decanting is done differently than with younger wines. You are going for gentle (think old) and slow to prevent any sediment from leaving the bottle. And don't expect exciting Vegas stories from an aged wine. Instead, listen to the long, in-depth epic about the land and how things have changed over the years. We are talking Terms of Endearment and Amadeus, not 300 (not that 300 wasn't great). The other great thing about aged reds, is that with the mellowing, they often become much more accessible for drinking without a big meal, not often I can sip Cabernet on the couch! Personally, I have found the Burton to only need 15-20 minutes in a glass, and as little as 10 in a decanter, which is a small time-price to pay for such great stories.
Until next time, glasses up!
