Tales from the Crypt - Culling my dad’s cellar

WINE TALK
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There’s a lot of good wine in my late father’s cellar. There’s also a hundred or so bottles that should have been drunk up a long time ago. Did some culling the last couple of days. More to come.

2003 Jayson Napa Valley Chardonnay
Extremely dead

2005 Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay Robert Young Vineyard Alexander Valley
Very dead

2008 J. Rochioli Chardonnay South River Vineyard Russian River Valley
Alive! Still offering some pleasure, even if it was likely better a few years ago. Has a creamy edge to ripe pear and lemon curd fruit.

2002 Catena Chardonnay Mendoza Argentina
Extremely dead

2001 Horton Vineyards Petit Manseng Virginia
Dead plus extra death from plastic cork!

2002 Chateau du Coing de Saint Fiacre Muscadet Sevre et Maine
Faded away to nothingness. Not obviously oxidized, but almost completely tasteless.

2005 Stone Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay Virginia
Bright lemon acidity on top of decaying death. Bizarre!

2005 Jermann W…Dreams… Chardonnay Venezia Giulia IGT
Dead, then risen from the grave to haunt the living

2002 Michael Shaps King Family Vineyards Merlot Virginia
It’s alive! It’s alive!! IT’S ALIVE!!! Good acidity, red fruit, no decay. Not profound, but it was worth drinking. Had a glass and enjoyed it.

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you didn’t Audouze them long enough

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I can’t remember if I had this by age 5 or 8, but my one premoxed very early.

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I used to buy that wine, but never aged it.

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I guess your Dad lived in VA with those in his cellar. It’s making me think about some 2012 Barboursville Octagon I was given as a present, probably time to drink those.

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Some of those wines weren’t that good when they went into the bottle. :joy:

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Wow, this might be turn out to be epic.
Cuing the

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This is worth taking note of. People will say an older white that is oxidized is what ought to happen to an older white, but it really shouldn’t become oxidized, or should just fade to tasteless.

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Yep, Virginia. I have a 2004 Barboursville Cab Franc Reserve on tap to check tomorrow.

Stay tuned!

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You know who to call if you find one that’s mostly dead.

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That would take a miracle.

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I’m more concerned about finding one that’s “freshly dead”
image

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Hopefully there’s no Abbey Normal Trappist Ale

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2002 Joseph Drouhin Domaine de Vaudon Chablis
Both dead and nonexistent. On the basis of this wine there is no such thing as the afterlife.

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Ooh, look who knows so much!

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So interesting! And … factoid that I thought I’d pass along about Chateau St. Jean . Unless they were funning with me, the tasting host told me a few years ago during a winery visit that they pronounce “Jean” American-style, since the name was chosen to honor the owners’ relative Jean Sheffield Merzoian.

Thanks for this tale of dead wine! Must … drink … faster!!

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Yes, it’s saint gene, not saint jahn.

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The message in these bottles! :cheers:

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This brings up the point that we need to remember to be wine drinkers, and not just wine buyers.

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Yep. Or if primarily wine buyers, think carefully about what is being bought.

Tonight’s 2016 St. Cosme Gigondas was very nice, if a little “clean” for what I like in Southern Rhône wines.

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