Timing an Older Vintage

Last night we had lamb chops at home seasoned largely with rosemary. While they can be quite expensive and the quality is often spotty, Costco does a great job of keeping the price down and the quality up. But, this is neither a food blog nor a Costco endorsement.

Of course, with a dinner like that, the wine pairing is important. The classic pairing with grilled lamb chops is Chateauneuf du Pape. And, the 2007 vintage, expecially for those that are particularly Grenache heavy and use more Cinsault and less Syrah than the norm, was one of the three or four best of the last 30 years. The one we had did not disappoint

Open for about an hour before serving, the the rim was somewhat browned, but the bulk of the wine was absolutely brick red. And, the heavy fruit often found in a young CDP was gone. Yes, there was some fruit, but the spice and earth tones predominated. I think we got the timing just about right. This wine was both as easy drinking as could be with layered complexity.

So, how did I know? How did I know that this 2007 CDP was in its prime? Well, not only did I not know, but I still don't know that it's in its prime. I'm pretty darn sure it's not past it, but it might well have had several years of improvement. I'll never know because it's the only bottle we had.

One way to work this out is by looking at "vintage charts." While others have different biases, for all but Burgundy, I am a fan of Wine Spectator's charts. And, they are free online.The problem is that while Grenache almost always predominates in these wines, that is not always the case. So, while the chart said "drink or hold," that is for the average of all excellent CDP from the vintage. Some might peak around 2021 while other peaked earlier or will peak later.

Here is how I do it. Unfortunately, you might not be able to do the same. Back around 2011 or 2012 when I got this bottle, I had tasted it. And, I made mental notes about the wine and when I thought it would drink best. That I recall, I said to myself the first half of the 2020s. And, I think I was right although it's possible I was way off.

Oh well.

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