Staying Youthful

While fully mature wines provide great and satisfying drinking and the realisation of potential fulfilled, sometimes wines that are young and yet to peak can give you a sense of joy in that they have much to show and the sense of anticipation is exciting.
Dinner with the King Hitters and Bubbly Ones saw three such wines. A 2008 Amisfield Dry Riesling was almost austerely dry, but the weight and fruit extract was remarkable. Minerals and limes just waiting to ge unleashed, and with it toast with honey, no doubt. It would need 2-3 years to get there though. Even more sensational was the 2007 Te Mata 'Elston' Chardonnay. Lively with lots of citrussy flavours and beautifully fresh and invigourating acidity. Concentrated fruit tinged with the right amount of oak. Delicious now, but you know it will be better in 2-4 years plus. Then a 2004 Sacred Hill 'Brokenstone' Merlot. Dense and packed with dark fruits enriched with raspberry cordial nuances, but framed within a firm, powerful and gripping structure. There was the faintest disturbance of reduction in earlier days, but that's all part of the layers of deep, ripe brooding flavours. A 10 year job at least.
Among the winemaking fraternity, wines that stay young are seen as good ones. A bit like people, really...