Old can be fabulous

As you might have guessed, I'm referring to aged wine. With a few bottles dating back a decade and more, I have been debating when to open them. It's hard to rationalize opening an aged bottle of wine--which could be worth hundreds of dollars--on a Tuesday night.

The Easter holiday provided the perfect opportunity to open a few of my "special occasion" wines. At the dinner party I attended, we opened and decanted a 1998 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2001 ZD Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

The host insisted on pouring the wines, but he didn't tell me which wine was which...

The first one he poured was brick-red in the glass with a brownish rim. It was almost transparent; the tannins caught in the neck of the decanter. The bouquet was very slight. The wine itself was quite mellow with nuances of tobacco, leather, and cherry liqueur. It was drinkable, but I wondered if it were past its prime.

I much preferred the second wine. It was more fruit forward, textured, and full-bodied. In the glass, it was a darker and more opaque than the first. The palate was more robust and powerful, with beautiful notes of ripe blackberry, cassis, and sweet vanilla.

Both wines were enjoyed by all of the guests and I was relieved that neither had gone bad after so many years.

I accurately guessed that the second wine was the ZD--it tasted more youthful to me.

Although not all wines get better with age, I would definitely recommend aging ZD Cab. For $55 a bottle at release, this is a wine that's built to last and it's affordable enough to buy more than one bottle (which is always a good idea).

Now that I've drank my one and only bottle of 2001 ZD Cab, I'm sad that I can't replace it!

My top 10 wines, plus a few more

Last night, I popped the cork on a bottle of 2008 Titus Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Franc. I love the Titus wines for a few reasons: by Napa standards, they are fairly priced, and they are designed to be enjoyed without prolonged aging after purchase. The winery is owned by Titus brothers Philip (the winemaker) and Eric (the grape grower). The vineyards are located just north of Deer Park Road at the northern end of St. Helena.

(Philip is also the winemaker for Chappellet Vineyards.)

I think the Titus Cab Franc is very drinkable. Aromas of dark berries and dried herbs fill the glass. The palate exhibits solid flavors of cherry cola and black currant give way to a smooth finish with notes of dark chocolate and black tea. Medium plus body, but drinkable on it’s own. Ripe, juicy, bold texture. Very smooth tannins.

“This wine is definitely in my top ten,” my boyfriend said after his second sip.

As much as I liked the wine, it made me think about my top ten list. After much internal debate, here it is:

1. Domaine Carneros Brut (because I could drink a glass of this sparkling everyday and never get tired of it)
2. Hope & Grace Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
3. Tamber Bey Deux Cheveux Cabernet Sauvignon
4. Chappellet Mountain Cuvee
5. Ladera Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
6. Hartwell Estate Vineyards Misté Hills Cabernet Sauvignon
7. Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir
8. Hyde de Villaine de La Guerra Chardonnay
9. Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel
10. T-Vine Grenache

Picking only ten wines for this list wasn’t easy. Here’s four more of my favorites:

11. Crocker & Starr Cab Franc
12. Terra Valentine Cabernet Sauvignon
13. Patz and Hall Pinot Noir
14. Swanson Merlot

I purposefully did not list a vintage for these wines because I have found them to be consistently good from year to year. Check 'em out!