It may be that we drink very different types of wines, but this is not at all my experience. I love a good bottle of really well aged wine, whether from Bordeaux, Burgundy, California (Cab or Zin), Piedmont, etc. Certainly, a lot of 30-50 year old wines are just dead, not made to last that long. But where the wines are still alive, they can be magical.
The only region where I really have a debate as to whether I prefer older or younger wines are German rieslings. There, I love the complexity of the older wines, but I also love the fruit in the younger wines. So, I love both.
Yeah, I wish I could get my hands on some of those wines from the 70s. The ones I’ve had from the 80s and early 90s have been awesome. And the people out here I see drinking those big high alcohol, fruit bombs or anything but novices. they are people that drink them a few times a week and our regular wine country visitors spending $50-$100 on bottles of wine without blinking. Above that is the dividing line and why I see them drinking a lot less Cabernet because most of the better ones now start above $100 if not well above. Just different drinking habits out here. Maybe it’s the constant warm, sunny weather.
I think it is also dependent on where you live. The West Coast Florida restaurant lists are like 80% big california wines. Best selling wine at Berns by a lot is Caymus.
Amazing. I am out here, but PNW. Cool weather is for reds. If the weather tops 65 degrees it is white wine/rosé/bubbles weather! I find drinking red wine in over 70 degrees to be “gross.”
I think that’s kind of funny because 70° is not hot. With a nice breeze and low humidity it’s quite lovely. It’s rarely above 80° and usually between 70 and 75, which is just perfect for whatever you wanna do and whatever you wanna drink.
The folks in my offline groups range in age from late 30s to early 70s. None of us like modern-style fruit bombs. I recall a couple of times at dinners (this was pre-pandemic) someone bringing a SQN red. Most of the bottle would still be there by the end of the evening. And then there’s the time @Alan_Rath brought a bottle of Caymus 40th Anniversary just to see what it was all about. We all hated it. That had to be 10 or so years ago. We still give him shit to this day about bringing it.
A friend and I went to Caymus a couple of times in the early 80s. My friend had long hair. Charlie Wagner was not amused. However, he did realize that we were passionate about wine so that opened the door. I’ve had nearly all the Caymus Cabs from the 70s. Awesome wines.
Maybe it is my animal nature and it is linked to light. As soon as the light begins to change, birds lay eggs and mammals start to shed their winter coats independent of the temperature. As soon as I see blue sky (which is rare for six months), I want white wine.
Looking at CellarTracker I’d have to say the 40th Anniversary Caymus had to be the most controversial wine ever. Never seen such a spread on ratings.
I bought 3 or 4 bottles and think I loved half and hated half, depending on my mood. Is it possible that my taste buds are different on different days? And I drink the vast majority of my wine without food, so that’s not a factor.
Early 80s Beringer Knights Valley cab to start with for me, to mid 80s Ridge wines, and moved on to mostly French by the late 80s. Such different wines in CA back then.
And I am with you on favoring lighter reds if it does get balmy. But I don’t live in an artificial A/C environment (except for my wine cellar) and am a big believer in opening the windows and circulating in fresh air. If the air is warm, I want my wine crisp and cool.
My house is not air-conditioned, although now that I have a heat pump in the bedroom I have that option for next summer.
I also drink my lighter summer reds cool (not chilled)… out of the wine room, which stays below 68°, and into the fridge for half an hour… I find 60° is a good temp for a summer red.
they are people that drink them a few times a week and our regular wine country visitors spending $50-$100 on bottles of wine without blinking. Above that is the dividing line and why I see them drinking a lot less Cabernet because most of the better ones now start above $100 if not well above. Just different drinking habits out here. Maybe it’s the constant warm, sunny weather. 
