I’m unsure of your definition of “what is approachable now” vs what is not, in your mind. History has show us that undrinkable wines that were thought to ‘age’ into fantastic wines is more fiction than fact. Old Barolos are the easiest examples of this; they were literally ‘bottled to order,’ and if they were too dried out for you or your tastes, “just give them 20 or 30 years!” Problem is, dried fruit doesn’t turn into fresh fruit, and really harsh tannins often don’t fade away. My point (and the point of many modern winemakers and *gasp* Robert Parker, devil that he is…) is that for wines to age truly gracefully, they need to be balanced, and dare i say, delicious in their youth. Obviously, they’ll need more than just primary fruits to withstand ageing, and they’ll need a great depth of flavor and structure, but those same wines can be delicious in their youth. I just had the 2005Opus this evening. Will it age, AND IMPROVE, for 10-15 years? Absolutely! Was it hedonistically good tonight? Yes indeed. Was it worth $200? Different question entirely…(no, but still damn good). Well written story, Joe!

I'm blind tasting the 2005 Opus One with the (relatively) local Penns Woods Winery Ameritage 2005 tonight – should be interesting…!