We had an opportunity to stop by Vint Hill Craft Winery yesterday to taste our 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon still in a French oak barrel. The last time we tasted it was last summer. Wow! What a difference eight months can make. The fruity character of the wine was present as it was last summer, a little easier to tell this time though. What were different were the influence of oak and the tannins.
Last summer the presence of oak was overwhelming. The oak was in your face. Now the influence of oak on the aroma and taste is moving to the background. It is still there but not aggressively. Last summer the tannins were bold and harsh. Now the tannins are silky.
We made a decision to age in French oak an additional year. This seems to be the correct decision. I spoke to another Vint Hill vintner who made a Cabernet Sauvignon at the same time we did in the fall of 2009. His Cab was bottled last summer. During the Wineries Unlimited Trade Show and Conference he said his wine was still rough and needed more bottle aging. The wine we have in the barrel is not rough and it was nice to experience the differences that additional aging can accomplish.
Cheers,
Terry
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