Wine and Evolution Part III: Comparison Over Time
by Warren Richard
How long can wines be cellared? In particular, can Virginia wines age well? The answers to these questions led us to the next phase of our quest. To find out, we attended a vertical tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon at Gray Ghost on April 8. At this event, we tasted 10 Cabernet Sauvignons produced by Gray Ghost since 1993, and we were allowed to compare how the Cabernets aged over time.
We must first clarify that only well-made red wines can be aged for a lengthy period of time. However, the degree to which this is possible is really dictated by the grapes themselves. Generally, grapes that develop in hot and dry weather will usually produce a wine capable of aging; however, adverse weather conditions will potentially produce the opposite outcome, and it is really up to the wine maker and his/her skills to ensure that a quality wine can be produced even with less than optimal conditions. Red wines produced in the best of growing seasons can be kept for a least 10 years or longer.
With this in mind, we began our vertical tasting. Al Kellert started us off with a flight of the latest vintages of Cabernets, and he started with the 2002 vintage but stopped with the 1998 vintage. As we tasted through each vintage, Al gave us some background information on the conditions for each year. Our table concluded that all of the vintages tasted excellent; however, we were mixed on which year was the best. Paul preferred the 2002 Cabernet; this one was produced in the last of several drought years in Virginia, and it was still bursting with cherry and plum flavors. Warrenís favorite was the 1998 Cabernet; this one was also produced during a drought year, but the years of aging had mellowed the tannins considerably. Warren detected some tobacco and cassis flavors that was not evident in the latest vintages. Once this comparison was completed, Al moved us on to the earliest vintages, and we tasted the 1993 ‚1997 vintages.
Here is where we really got to appreciate the ability of good wines to age nicely. The consensus at our table was the 1993 vintage was still king. Aromas of plum, dark cherry, and even leather were evident, and despite its age, the finish was both smooth and long. Velvet was the word that came to mind! In fact, Al shared with us that a critic for Gourmet visited the winery and asked to taste the 1993 Cabernet from Alís library. The critic was pleasantly surprised that a Virginia Cabernet had aged so well!
Al also shared with us that some years were very tricky indeed for Virginia wine makers. Wet summers, visits from hurricanes, and early frosts can provide headaches for the winemakers, and these conditions particularly threaten the quality of red varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon. However, we learned that even in these circumstances the dedicated winemaker can still manage to produce a quality wine. At Gray Ghost, constant attention to the vineyard and awareness of weather conditions occur even in the best of weather conditions. Cabernet grapes are allowed to hang on the vine for as long as possible and are picked when sugars are at optimal levels. However, an eye must be kept on the weather; for example, an early October frost will wreak havoc on the delicate Cabernet grapes.
As we enjoyed the wines and conversation, we also ate foods prepared by Cheryl Kellert that complemented Cabernet Sauvignon. These included pork tenderloin, steak teriyaki, venison, blue cheese, and pasta dishes. We finished the evening with the award-winning Adieu, the late harvest Vidal Blanc dessert wine that has garnered Gray Ghost the Best of the East award for three consecutive years.
The vertical tasting gave us more answers to our questions; it was enjoyable and educational experience, and we could only marvel at the hard work and expertise required to produce good wines. However, we still were not done with our quest, and the final portion of our journey had to do with food and wine. The final Gray Ghost event that we attended was the Winemaker's Dinner at Marriott Ranch in Hume Virginia; so, read next time to discover the results!
How long can wines be cellared? In particular, can Virginia wines age well? The answers to these questions led us to the next phase of our quest. To find out, we attended a vertical tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon at Gray Ghost on April 8. At this event, we tasted 10 Cabernet Sauvignons produced by Gray Ghost since 1993, and we were allowed to compare how the Cabernets aged over time.
We must first clarify that only well-made red wines can be aged for a lengthy period of time. However, the degree to which this is possible is really dictated by the grapes themselves. Generally, grapes that develop in hot and dry weather will usually produce a wine capable of aging; however, adverse weather conditions will potentially produce the opposite outcome, and it is really up to the wine maker and his/her skills to ensure that a quality wine can be produced even with less than optimal conditions. Red wines produced in the best of growing seasons can be kept for a least 10 years or longer.
With this in mind, we began our vertical tasting. Al Kellert started us off with a flight of the latest vintages of Cabernets, and he started with the 2002 vintage but stopped with the 1998 vintage. As we tasted through each vintage, Al gave us some background information on the conditions for each year. Our table concluded that all of the vintages tasted excellent; however, we were mixed on which year was the best. Paul preferred the 2002 Cabernet; this one was produced in the last of several drought years in Virginia, and it was still bursting with cherry and plum flavors. Warrenís favorite was the 1998 Cabernet; this one was also produced during a drought year, but the years of aging had mellowed the tannins considerably. Warren detected some tobacco and cassis flavors that was not evident in the latest vintages. Once this comparison was completed, Al moved us on to the earliest vintages, and we tasted the 1993 ‚1997 vintages.
Here is where we really got to appreciate the ability of good wines to age nicely. The consensus at our table was the 1993 vintage was still king. Aromas of plum, dark cherry, and even leather were evident, and despite its age, the finish was both smooth and long. Velvet was the word that came to mind! In fact, Al shared with us that a critic for Gourmet visited the winery and asked to taste the 1993 Cabernet from Alís library. The critic was pleasantly surprised that a Virginia Cabernet had aged so well!
Al also shared with us that some years were very tricky indeed for Virginia wine makers. Wet summers, visits from hurricanes, and early frosts can provide headaches for the winemakers, and these conditions particularly threaten the quality of red varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon. However, we learned that even in these circumstances the dedicated winemaker can still manage to produce a quality wine. At Gray Ghost, constant attention to the vineyard and awareness of weather conditions occur even in the best of weather conditions. Cabernet grapes are allowed to hang on the vine for as long as possible and are picked when sugars are at optimal levels. However, an eye must be kept on the weather; for example, an early October frost will wreak havoc on the delicate Cabernet grapes.
As we enjoyed the wines and conversation, we also ate foods prepared by Cheryl Kellert that complemented Cabernet Sauvignon. These included pork tenderloin, steak teriyaki, venison, blue cheese, and pasta dishes. We finished the evening with the award-winning Adieu, the late harvest Vidal Blanc dessert wine that has garnered Gray Ghost the Best of the East award for three consecutive years.
The vertical tasting gave us more answers to our questions; it was enjoyable and educational experience, and we could only marvel at the hard work and expertise required to produce good wines. However, we still were not done with our quest, and the final portion of our journey had to do with food and wine. The final Gray Ghost event that we attended was the Winemaker's Dinner at Marriott Ranch in Hume Virginia; so, read next time to discover the results!