'Tis the time to think about wines for the wine cellar
September 15, 2015
Jim Hicks
It’s harvest time, with all the excitement which follows the summer buildup and the final harvest. The final product, resulting in a wine emblematic of the producer, should represent the best of the grapes off the vines. But it is also time to think about wines from the current year and to start stockpiling those you want to cellar store for the next several years.
Many oenophiles believe that a wine has to be expensive to be worthy of storing for more than several months. The reality is that most wines are good to excellent for up to three years after purchase, providing they are kept in optimum conditions while stored.
With this in mind, here are three wines available either at the local wine stores or from the winemakers individually. Each has some drinkability characteristics for immediate consumption, but each also has the ability to be stored and retrieved after one to two years.
The first is from Claiborne and Churchill, the 2014 Dry Riesling from the Central Coast. This is a unique Riesling from West Coast standards since Claiborne and Churchill has, for 32 years, used an Alsatian approach to creating this extremely pleasant white. The grapes for the 2014 Dry Riesling came from the Edna Valley and the Monterey County AVA. Growing conditions dictated an early harvest in September rather than a normal harvest in October.
This Riesling was then fermented and aged for six months in total. The final product has overtones of a floral and citrus on the palate. The finish is both smooth and nose friendly. This is a classic to mix with the special salmon dishes of the season as well as the lighter chicken recipes.
If you have not recently found a Riesling to your flavor, you need to consider the Claiborne and Churchill. The Germanic style and the dryness rather than a typical sweetness sets it apart.
Claiborne and Churchill also have a Estate Dry Riesling of a 2013 Vintage. Rarer, and more expensive, the Estate Dry will store even more readily should you want to do so. This is a classic Dry Riesling, and is recognized as one of the premier dry Rieslings in the US. This has a stone fruit flavor as well as a hint of lemon zest on the palate. If you buy, be sure to buy several; you will not regret it!
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