Decanting Young Chinon

M

Michael Jennings

Michael Jennings
My wine group is tasting Chinon tomorrow, and I'd be really grateful if I could get some advice on decanting (or opening) individual bottles! Here's the lineup:

Olga Raffault Les Picasses 2002
Charles Joguet Cuvee Terroir 2005
Charles Joguet Les Petites Roches 2005
Couly-Dutheil Clos de l'Echo 2005
Charles Joguet Les Varennes du Grand Clos 2006
Bernard Baudry Le Clos Guillot 2007
Bernard Baudry Les Granges 2008

Thanks!
 
I don't think those Baudrys need 12 hours of air (those aren't the 'big' cuvees) or a decanter. But you might want to hear from someone who has actually tasted them.
 
originally posted by Michael Jennings:
originally posted by Cory Cartwright:
I don't see a problem decanting any of those.
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Right; but for how long? I'm tempted to just open the younger bottles about 12 hours in advance and letting them sit.
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12 hours? Oh good lord no. Baudry has some col things going on right out the gate. One hour. Others may differ, but that's my take.
 
originally posted by Cory Cartwright:
originally posted by Michael Jennings:
originally posted by Cory Cartwright:
I don't see a problem decanting any of those.
Click to expand...

Right; but for how long? I'm tempted to just open the younger bottles about 12 hours in advance and letting them sit.
Click to expand...
12 hours? Oh good lord no. Baudry has some col things going on right out the gate. One hour. Others may differ, but that's my take.
Click to expand...

aka Cartwrightage. This stuff is on wikipedia, isn't it?
 
I would taste them 2-3 hours before; longer decanting times (i.e. more than 2 hours) only necessary for champagne and sparklers.
 
12 hour decant? What a curious notion for something not madeira.

I mean, it might work out that way, but the probability that you will not see the best of the wine seems so high that I would not do it.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
12 hour decant? What a curious notion for something not madeira.

I mean, it might work out that way, but the probability that you will not see the best of the wine seems so high that I would not do it.
Click to expand...

And all things you'll miss along the way.
 
I just don't think there's a rule, here or elsewhere. Open as early as you want (within reason), as long as you don't decant off, and taste. If they're good, recork and chill. If they're not, wait and check back. If they don't seem to be getting where you want, decant. Splash decant. Quadruple decant. Hire a micro-oxidation machine. Pour the wine into a soda fountain bubbler. Give Michel Rolland a call. Whatever works. But I don't believe that a set number of hours in steady-state is going to work for all of these wines in the same way.
 
Oh I am not so vain as to name my methode after myself. But since you've asked! La Methode Kraft is really too involved and important to go into great detail here. Suffice it to say that it is to decanting what Riedel is to glassware.
 
Not too long ago I was the sommelier for a luncheon. One of the guests dropped off an oldish bottle of Giacosa Rionda ahead of time, and told me to call him in the morning if it was corked and he would bring something else. He said to decant the bottle 4 hours ahead of service, and told me that that was what Gregory dal Piaz had advised. So the morning came and I decanted the bottle. I was on the phone: it's not corked, but it seems extremely mute, very closed in. Shut down. So alarming was I that the guest brought another Giacosa cuvee to the same luncheon. I opened everything up, a bunch of Barolo served blind (wrapped in tin foil) 4 hours from the Rionda decant. Damn if the Rionda wasn't the crowd favorite over the Monfortino and others of that ilk. That Rionda bottle was singing when it came time to taste. Nobody was more surprised than me when the tin foil came off.

I'll always remember that, because I was so impressed. Greg knew that wine, and it wasn't three hours in the decanter, and it wasn't five, it was four.
 
Thor's approach, discounted for the fact that it was written by Thor, is pretty good.

Some wines do improve overnight after opening (12+ hours). But I guess you could argue that those wines just shouldn't be opened yet.
 
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