What to Cellar?

This week I joined my friends Jenn & Stub as part of their live broadcast of Wine Antics to talk discuss cellaring!

If you missed it, you can watch the episode here:

 

Now, during this episode, we talked about what wines you SHOULD think about cellaring, and it was suggested that I put a blog post up as a reference. #SmartThinking, #GoodResource. So let’s do that, but let’s go back to my cellar basics first:

 

First, let’s talk about long term storage. Those are wines that I expect will need to be in perfect temperature, light, & humidity conditions for 5+ years, and some for much, much longer!

What wines do you want to cellar long term? 

1. Start with Full-Bodied Red Wines, especially from Classic & Cult Producers

2. Any Old World First or Second Growth Wines; starting with Premium Left-Bank Bordeaux, Cru Burgundy, and stars from Châteauneuf-du-Pape

3. Italian wines from Tuscany, Piedmont, and Veneto, such as Amarone, Reserve Chianti & Tempranillo, Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Super-Tuscans

4. Classic Spanish and Portuguese Red Wines

5. Vintage Champagnes

6. Dessert wines such as Hungarian Tokaji, German & Alsatian Riesling, French Sauternes and Basra

7. Wines that are timeless, designed to last for decades: Port, Madeira, and Vin Jaune from The Jura region of France

8. Age-worthy white wine, usually high in acidity on release.

9. Premium/Bold Cabernet Sauvignon from the USA

Here are a few examples of wines worth holding long term:

(hey, I can dream, right?)

 

“But hey, JvB”, you say, “what about all the OTHER wines you have in storage?”

In addition to long term storage, I have short & medium storage, broken down as:  A) Recent acquisitions to open/taste in 1-3 year range; and B) Wines that will improve from at least 2-3 years of storage but that I may start opening sooner but enjoy before 5 years of age.

Some good examples of  wines to cellar for Short Term Storage (1-3 years): 

–Washington, Texas, Virginia, & NY State Reds,

-Oregon & California Pinot Noirs,

-Most American white wines,

-American Sparkling Wines, Prosecco & Cava

-All my white/rosé wine club wines.

 

Some good examples of B), my wines requiring 2-to-5 years of storage, include: 

-Cru Beaujolais wines,

-Right Bank/smaller Bordeaux producers that will hit their peak earlier

-California/US Reserve Wine Club red wines

-Most European and New World lighter reds, Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Garnacha

-White Bordeaux Bends, High end Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, & Chenin Blanc

 

 

Does this help you think about HOW to cellar wine, and WHAT wines to cellar, for the short, medium, or long term?

What is in your cellar? Do you have a category of wines that I entirely forgot? Drop a line and let me know what you’re holding in your cellar, for short, medium, or long term!

à votre santé!

Chateau Musar 2009 White Blend

Chateau Musar 2009 White Blend, Bekka Valley, Lebanon. 12.5% ABV, SRP $49/bottle.

Color is medium gold. The nose is a savory blend of fruit and spice: rich banana and pear, secondary floral and spice notes, with melted butter. On the palate are pineapple, baked apple, and lemon zest both mature and refined, with subdued acidity. It lingers with a glamorous and classic sensibility. I paired this with Matzoh ball soup, baked chicken and steamed vegetables, then the next day with meat loaf (yes, white wine with red meat), and on a third day with home made pizza.

 

 

A blend of two historic grapes and vines that range from 50-90 years of age, the 2009 Musar white is comprised of 66% Obaideh and one third Merwah, two grapes that are indigenous to Lebanon but are supposedly relatives of chardonnay and semillon. Without question, it is a joy to drink an eleven year-old white Bordeaux style blend that is one of Musar’s ‘classic’ vintages still under Serge Hochar’s supervision before his passing in 2014. 

This bottle was stored on its side in my wine cellar for several years before removal. It uncorked easily with a standard waiter’s corkscrew, the cork still in excellent condition. The wine excels with a touch of air, -we let it breathe for 30 minutes before serving- but the flavors fully opened after about an hour. The wine lasted four days when refrigerated after opening without change to character or flavor profile.

 

 

If you are a lover of Bordeaux Blanc and world wines, Musar’s 2009 is a must-taste for perspective on a classic winemaker, as well as for Middle Eastern winemaking in the historic Bordeaux style.

 

 

à votre santé!