2004 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast--Built to Last!

When I bought this wine I had no intention of holding it, but somehow it got stashed in the cellar with my "Big" pinots and it was forgotten.

So when I went to drink it I assumed it would be past its prime and opened it to drink with some leftover pasta and crawfish pie.

Wow! This wine showed beautifully. It was a touch clear of the rim but nothing alarming and from first sip to last it was exceptional, particularly for a pinot noir that once retailed for a modest $22.00.

It had enough fruit and acid to go against the spicy crawfish pie yet the the mouthfeel was soft and the bright fruit flavors remained through to the finish. Had I blind tasted this one I would never have guessed its age.

Would I suggest holding it a few more years? No. If there is any more of this wine lingering in your cellar, liberate it, drink it now, and enjoy!

Dom Gone Bad

I know you have one. That bottle you've been saving for that special occasion. What are you waiting for?

An special anniversary, your 50th birthday? A child's graduation?

Don't. Last month, friends used the occasion of an Easter pot luck to open a bottle of 1990 Moet & Chandon Cuvee Dom Perignon.

It was 24 years old and it could still been lively and delightful champagne, as many of these reviewers on cellar tracker have experienced. But sadly, it was not.

For every 24 year old bottle that survives and draws a great review there is another that gets dumped down the drain.

This bottle suffered the latter fate. While it still had some slow bubbles at first pour, it went flat soon after and was clearly oxidized. As you can see the color resembled a yellow diamond without the sparkle.

The moral: Don't wait. Surely you can find a good reason to drink a nice champagne at least once a year--First date night with Hubby in months, nasty boss got fired, pay raise that you didn't expect, a scratch lotto ticket that finally paid off. You get the idea...