Memories

Memories can be beautiful.  The memory of a wonderful experience can live for years, and maybe forever.  There’s joy to be had in reliving a special experience, but one should be aware that memories can be altered and that perceptions can change from what was reality.  One of the more common things for the wine lover is to keep a bottle of wine from a special time, not only as a momento, but as a practical recall of the great time.  However, as we know, wines do change in time.  And tasting a wine from many years ago will not represent what was consumed originally.

The Prophet-Man brought out one of his special bottles to share.  He helped make the wine, and the winemaking there has influenced how he has made wine since.  The wine was a Keuntz-Bas ‘Collection’ Alsace Riesling 2001.  However over 15 years later, this had begun to fade well-beyond the lovely freshness it would have had.  A little light golden, this was still redolent of citrus fruit and white flowers, but the thin end of the edge of oxidation was showing on nose and palate.  Interestingly, the wine was still fresh and lively on the palate, as acidity per se doesn’t change, just the perception of it with time, as the other componentry becomes different in expression.   However the mouthfeel was quite integrated, and the textures hardly standing out.  Phenolics and fruit extract here had become one with the rest of the wine. 

It was a drink-up proposition.  I’m sure it was more attractive in its youth.  But the Prophet-Man still had a smile on his face as he reminisced