Dear Somm,
I love your Rosella’s and Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noirs. So much so, that I have neglected to open them! I now find that I am holding on to some of these bottles from as far back as 2004. Can you please let me know the optimum age for drinking these wines? Any tips are greatly appreciated.
We loved participating in the Oracle and Wild Yeast vertical seminars with you over the last few months. Will you be doing any more of these events?
Sincerely,
Jack R, San Francisco, CA
Hi Jack,
This has been a popular question around Miner lately, and I would be happy to address this topic. I recently had the opportunity to taste and compare our older and younger vintage Pinots. It is no secret that Pinot Noir, especially ours from the Santa Lucia Highlands, can age gracefully and offer a beautiful canvas of full-bodied, tannic structure that is restrained and drier in its finish.
The aged Pinot takes on a depth of musty, cellar- like style, giving aromatics of truffle and a long finish of unripe cherry. These older vintage wines want to be enjoyed now. On the other hand, I find that our younger Pinot Noirs offer a rush of fruity effulgence that seduces the palate and finishes with a suggestion of grapey sweetness.
I have a saying that I like to resort to when judging the ageability of Pinot Noir: As it pertains to years, 3-5 the wine is always alive, 5-8 the wine is always great, and after 8 can be too late! Please, don’t be afraid to age your Pinot, but also remember that most California Pinot should be enjoyed within 10 years.
Please join us for our next series of Miner Family Winery vertical tasting events, where we will be enjoying Pinot from Garys’ and Rosella’s Vineyards, vintages 2004-2007.
Here are the dates:
July 12th @ 11am
Aug 9th @ 11am
Sept 13th @ 11am
Oct 11th @ 11am
The cost will be $50 per person for club members and $100 per person for non-members. Please, RSVP with us at 1-800-366-9463 ex.17 and our lovely concierge will add you to the list! This vertical should be educational and a lot of fun. I look forward to seeing you there. Cheers and happy drinking!
Is there something you are dying to know about wine? Write to us at dearsomm@minerwines.com.