When it comes to wine, many collectors around the world still question both the quality and age-worthiness of these Californian wonders. Thanks to historical milestones such as the infamous Tasting of Paris, we do know one thing is for sure: California wines have proved to the world that they’ve got the cojones to challenge the Old World when it comes to quality. But does that necessarily translate into ageability? Food & Wine Magazine’s Guide to Wine author Mary Burnham decided to grace the SF Wine Center with her lovely presence to help a class full of intrigued students uncover this cryptic wine mystery. And what better way than with the help of proprietor Brian McGonigle reaching deep into his cellar here at the SF Wine Center and finding the perfect spy kit for this case… his secret stash of older vintage California wines! One by one the class was able to unlock the codes with the likes of a 1989 Niebaum-Coppola Rubicon, a 1984 Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, even a 1981 Opus One, and many more. So let’s unveil the answer to this question with one of the wines tasted that night…
Opus One 1981 – At just over 31 years of age, this wine performed like a California dream come true. Aromas that swim right out of the glass and into your nose presenting nuances of black cherry cough drop, red roses, moist soil, and medium-rare lamb meat. Still blistering with youthful acidity and an entirely smoothed-out tannin structure that were both endorsed by enticing hints of cinnamon spice, chopped cloves, cocoa beans, and a prolonged menthol finish. At the end of it all, one word comes to mind…Showstopper. So yes, the answer is that California wines are in fact worthy of aging. But what exactly does it take for a wine to not just age well, but to actually improve during the course of time? It takes a unique mishmash of complexity, acidity, fruit, and in many cases tannin; all of which are distinctly combined with superior winemaking expertise, meticulous vineyard selection, and luck-of-the-draw weather conditions. Ok, ok, so what does that have to do with California? Many would argue that California produces nothing short of alcoholic fruit bombs. And while that statement is not a universal truth here in California, even teasing a wine by calling it a fruit bomb doesn’t always mean that the other necessary components for aging don’t coexist with the fruitiness. Most certainly not all, but many of these wines can prove to collectors that their components are doing just that. But due to the country’s unique history of enduring both the Great Depression and Prohibition of the early 20th century, it took the heroic endeavors of industry leaders such as Ernest and Julio Gallo, Robert Mondavi, and several others years upon years to rebuild the state’s wine industry as we now know it. And because of this long and arduous road to recovery, it will still be some time until the world can see for itself just how long these California splendors will hold up. Many wine drinkers of future generations might find themselves refreshingly surprised. And who knows, with new wine regions popping up in countries all over the world, by that time California could end up being considered the Old World!
