The ’92 Zinfandel was bottled December 9th, without filtration. It seemed to go through a less severe “bottle sickness” phase than the 1991 vintage. (Bottle sickness is a period lasting for a month or two following bottling, when the fruit can seem quite muted and the balance & finish of a wine seems “off”). By Valentine’s day, the 1992 Zin was mighty tasty, masquerading somewhat as a Chambolle-Musigny (yes, I was just at a tasting of about 50 Burgundies in San Francisco earlier that day). Last week, Judi and I brought a bottle to a friend’s house about two and a half hours’ drive away. The wine tasted great with barbecued mackerel, and salmon smothered in a mango-cilantro salsa. I generally do not advocate immediate drinking upon receipt, but our experience with this wine’s travelling ability leads me to believe that if you were to immediately rip into the box on your front porch upon arrival, pulling the cork on the first bottle your hands meet, finally inverting the bottle directly into your mouth–bypassing the wine glass –it would not be a crime (except maybe in Utah). According to Don Vick, of Santa Cruz, this is known as the “nepenthean” method of decanting. Although it tastes great right now, I would expect this wine to continue to improve during its first year in bottle as it becomes accustomed to its new life in glass. (By the way, a bottle half-consumed tastes great the following day.)
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