By Dan Olsson Many people need help with choosing wines for their wine cellar. Why? because some wines are fit to be stored and some certainly not.

I recently visited a fantastic private cellar with many delicate and storable wines, but also with wines that should be immediately consumed (which would take 2 years at a bottle a day). Not good for your health, as it could lead to cirrhosis of the liver. The alternative … invite your friends to a big party and drink it together (don’t forget the cheese). If the wine is not consumed during the first couple of months the wine will be dead.

Vintages
Don’t buy vintages that are too old if you want to keep them in your cellar. Try to find wines from 2001, and from certain regions and grapes. If you want to keep a wine for 5-10 years you should buy magnum bottles (1.5 litres). “Reserves” and “gran reserves” are good to store, as the best grapes have been used, and the wine has been kept in barrels for at least 12 months. Also check the wineries’ websites to view recommended storage times. In some districts the wine can be kept longer than in others, depending on the grape. I believe that a wine will never be better after its 10th year from harvest, therefore a wine from 2004 is at its peak between 2012 and 2014.

The Spanish districts
Let’s decide to keep some wine from 2001 and onwards. This is what you should be looking for from the different districts. The x means it’s storable. The red X is the best from each district. This is just for Reds! White wine is a chapter in itself.

2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
DO Alella	X	x	x	x	X	x
DO Alicante	x			x	x	X	x
DO Bierzo	x	x	x	x	X	x	X
DO Campo de Borja	x				X
DO Cariñena	X	x		X	X	x	X
DO Cigales	x	x	x	x	x	x
DO La Mancha	x	x	x	X	x	x	X
DO Navarra	X	x		X	X	x
DO Priorato	X		x	X	X
DO Ribera del Duero	X	x	x	X	x
DO Rioja	X			X	x	x	x
DO Somontano	X	X	x	x	X	X
DO Toro	X	X	X	X	X	x

How to store wine
Always try to keep the temperature between 8-16 degrees, my cellar is 11 degrees all the time. No vibrations, no light, at a horizontal position, and if possible in 60-80% humidity. Do not keep wine in wine coolers, they are only for restaurants to serve the wine at the right temperature. All stored wines need to be decanted; today a lot of the wines still have some residue from the grape’s skin which is good if you want to keep the wine for some time. Also open the wine and pour it into the glass 30 to 40 minutes before you drink it.

Recommendable Wines from Dan Olsson, Wine Connoisseur

Viña Concejo Crianza 2005
Viña Concejo from Bodegas Pilcar, a small family winery in the DO Cigales region, is made from the Tempranillo grape from medium old wine yards. Fermentation takes place in French and American oak barrels for at least 14 months, then another year in the bottle before it is released in to the market. Winery, Bodegas Pilcar is renowed for their prize winning wines including Best Tempranillo in the world. Recently it was awarded the Nariz de Oro from the Spanish Sommelier Association. Viña Concejo was in the top three of Spain’s best wines in the crianza category, together with Dinastia Vivanco and Pagos de Luzon (both about 40€). Viña Concejo Crianza 2005 costs 10€ and I love it! The Cigales wine can be stored for at least 15 years in good storing conditions. Enjoy it now and until 2020. The wine goes with red meat and strong cheeses but is also enjoyable by itself.

Clos de l’obac 2004
Clos de l’obac is from the prestige region DOC Priorato, one of the oldest in the Gratallops area. It is produced by the enologist Carles Pastrana at Costers del Siurana, he together with Rene Barbier and Alvaro Palacios started a new style of wine from Priorato. Clos de l´obac is a marvelous wine made from 5 different grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Garnacha, Merlot and Syrah. The blend is amazing and the fruitiness, together with the elegant and long persistent after-taste, makes the wine very palatable. The Priorat wine can be stored for more than 25 years, enjoy it now and until 2030. The wine complements stew, elk, deer, and of course cheese. Although highly priced at around 35€ it is well worth the investment. The Parker guide gives the wine 95 points “highly recommended”.

GOLF and VINOS
Vega Canadon Nave 17, Camino de Coin km 1.8, Mijas Costa
Tel: 635 690 280

Subscribe to newsletter

Printfriendly version · Send to friend