Aging People and Bottles
Had a great weekend with old friends from college, including a night lying on the ground in the vineyard in the pitch black looking out for the Plaeides ( meteors). We didn't see a huge number of shooting stars but there was lots of hooting with laughter and.... some brilliant wine. CVNE Rioja Reserva 1995 - these wines seem almost indestructable. I got this when it was released and it seemed quite light, not a huge amount of tannin and you wouldn't think that 15 years later it would still be sweet, quite delicate but still with plenty of life. It sort of breaks a few preconceptions that you think that only wines that start out tough and massive have the potential to improve. We also had our very last bottle of Beaucastel Chateauneuf 1996 which was not seen as being a particularly good year but I think that the drier less ripe years actually age better. The 1995 is sumptious and rich but for me, a bit soft. I think this just marks me out as a middle aged Englishman bro