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Cellaring your wine

The cool weather in 2011 produced pinot noir with excellent aging potential and our Single Block pinot noirs from that year – while delicious now – will only get better with time. This month we are getting you started with four special packs of our Single Block pinot noirs. Stock Your Cellar and read on for advice from our winemaker Alex Sokol Blosser.

When is the best time to open these wines?

The first bottle is meant for you to enjoy now. Take note of the color and the different flavors you are getting from the wine. Alex recommends opening the second bottle in three years to assess how the wine is aging. This will give you a point of reference to see how you feel about the pinot and help you decide if you would like to let the third bottle age more. Stored properly these wines have the potential to age 7-10 years.

Why are the 2011 wines good for aging?

2011 was a classic “old-time” Oregon vintage. The long, cool growing season produced grapes with lower sugar and higher acid. Because the grapes didn’t get as ripe these wines are delicate, structured, possess beautiful acidity and should have great long-term aging potential.

What can I expect from the 2011 Single Block pinot noirs as they age?

Right now, when the wine is younger, you may taste oak. But Alex says that as these wines age the oak and toastiness will begin to dissipate and will show more integration with fruit. The single blocks will begin to show some classic aged pinot noir notes of earth, mushrooms and lots of bright red fruit such as cranberry and raspberry. As they age the wines will tend to be smoother and have a rounder mouthfeel.

How do I properly store these wines?

Two of the most important components of storing your wine are to keep them safe from direct sunlight or huge temperature fluctuations. Alex says one of the worst places you can store wine is in a garage that isn’t temperature controlled because the fluctuations can cause the wine to oxidize and make it undrinkable.

Many of us don’t have the space for a large wine cellar but that doesn’t mean you can’t start collecting and aging wine. Wine refrigerators are readily available and can hold a few bottles to several hundred. If you’re serious about starting a wine collection but don’t have the space there are several companies and merchants that rent temperature-controlled wine storage space. A third option is to create an area in your closet away from an outside wall. Keep in mind that the ideal temperature for storing wine is 55 degrees.

Most of all have fun! Buying and aging wine should be a joyful not stressful experience. Start building your cellar with our Stock Your Cellar Packs or click here to choose your favorite Sokol Blosser wines. Cheers!

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