Impressions January 2021, Part III

[Steve Edmunds]

I've used Diams since 2007, so thus far 14 years (through 2020). So far so good.

 

[Saul Mutchnick]

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:

originally posted by Jim Hanlon:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

Agglomerate cork stopper (boo).

I've come around on good agglomerate corks, namely Diam, as a great closure for wines intended to be drunk within 10 years. There have been trials concerning aging in that range, and these closures eliminate TCA. With long-term cellaring, I get why producers would still go cork, because we don't have any data on Diam. I still have an innate prejudice for the natural feel of cork, but if I were a producer, I think I'd go Diam for anything not intended for long cellaring.

Jim, they are fine. In fact really good for wines I've aged for at least 5 years at this point. And - just as importantly - the wines aren't altered when tasted shortly after release vis-a-vis one's expectations based on intimate knowledge of same hooch (tm) under natural cork.

I opened a Guffens Chavigne last night that had a Diam 30. Whoa.

The high-numbered Diams are basically like bottling a wine under screwcap, from my experience. That wine should have a loooong life ahead of it.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

Had our first Principiano Ravera last night, a 2017, weighing in at 13,5% (but I detected a smidgen of abv heat). Did not seem more structured than the Serralunga, and was already approachable, clean and pure. The rest, only with age.