I have read numerous vintage reports about the 2006 growing season in Napa Valley. The talk focuses on the abundance of water in the winter or on the extended hang time for ripening. Folks seem to gloss over the conditions during July. Toward the middle of July, the northern part of California experienced many days of temperatures at or near 100 degrees (F), culminating in a long weekend of temperatures above 110 degrees. (I remember vividly because some wine I ordered was left on my front porch just after I left town for the weekend, and I returned to baked wine.) Most growers will suggest that the heat occurred prior to the critical flavor-development period of grape development, but my experience tasting suggests otherwise. Most of the wines produced feature a steely and/or charcoal flavor component that underlies the fruit flavors and resonates on the finish. (I have sucked on enough ice cream spoons to know the taste of steel.) A few wine makers deftly worked around these issues, including the folks at Provenance and St. Clement.
These wines are developing a silky texture now (somewhat ahead of schedule) with a bit of richness to them, but the structure and tannins are starting to wane. This is suggesting that these wines may be fast approaching their peak tasting experience, so folks who manage a collection should bear this in mind. It might be fun to do some extended aging with this vintage, but I am finding these wines most enjoyable now.
No comments:
Post a Comment