Oenophilic Tendencies
Wine and age
By Jeannine Sano

As we enter the last month of summer, soon to be followed by a barrage of back-to-school sales and advertisements, and inevitably thereafter by the rush of Halloween / Thanksgiving / Christmas / New Years, I am reminded that there are only a few more months of 2008 left. A sign of age, I’m told, is that each year seems to pass exponentially faster than the last. I am young enough to remember when 30 seemed absurdly old – the age of parents, teachers, police officers, and grown-ups. I am old enough to know that 30 is absurdly young – the age of newlyweds, grad students, people who weren’t even born when the first Star Wars movie (now known as Episode IV) was released. I am young enough to worry about what I want to do when I grow up. I am old enough to worry about retirement savings. I am young enough to crave getting a puppy. I am old enough to know better than to get a puppy in a cramped house with no yard.

When is wine old?

The answer to this question appears to be relatively easy only with Rosés and sakes. Anything older than x - 1 = probably too old, where x = current year. With everything else, the answer seems to be that very annoying adage – it depends. Way back when I started getting into French wines, an investment banker friend gave me the following formula: Keep Rhones for 10 years and Bordeaux for 20 years before opening. Not a bad rule of thumb, but one wrought with exceptions. When I recently opened a 1989 Pavie, I was somewhat disappointed at how young the wine still was. The wine was still hearty and robust with ripe berries, instead of thin, brown, and dusty. Great for those who prefer more fruit-driven, vibrant red-purple wine, but apparently I prefer old farts to young turks when it comes to Bordeaux.

What about white wine? Generally I have found that with whites, I want that zippy freshness of youthful wine. But then at the last tasting I attended at Dee Vine Wines at Pier 19 (www.dvw.com), I tasted some truly spectacular Rieslings that were over 20 years old, with the color and texture of heather honey, yet with acidity and structure firmly intact. Michael Green, Gourmet wine & spirits consultant, told me that one of his favorite wines was an aged Chenin Blanc. I now have a 1997 Vouvray sitting in my cellar. I have no idea when to open it.

Sparkling wine? A wine store clerk once told me that a young Krug is difficult to enjoy properly. Because I was in law school at the time, and lacked the means to test his pronouncement, I took his word for it. He was referring to the vintage Krugs because the NV Krug was not available back then (and neither was the Internet). Although if I can insert my two cents here, I wouldn’t bother with it even if the NV is comparatively less expensive, and I don’t care if my age is showing – a NV Champagne for over $100 is just plain wrong, especially at a time when gas is over $4/gallon. Of course, another salesperson from a different wine store told me that Champagne was meant to be drunk immediately and should not be aged. … One of these days I may feel grown-up enough to splurge on a real Krug, and have the pleasure of pondering whether to open it now or 10 years from now.

Am I old or young? Enough introspection. How about some wine instead? Check out the following wine events in August:

Pres a Vi, 1 Letterman Dr., Bldg. D (near Lombard), 415-409-3000, www.presavi.com:
• MacPhail Vineyards Wine Tasting; Tuesday, Aug. 5, 6-8 p.m.; $18/person

Silk’s, 222 Sansome St. (at Pine), 415-276-9787, www.mohg.com:
• Bordeaux Wine Dinner; Tuesday, Aug. 5, 7-10 p.m.; $195/person

COPIA, 500 First St., Napa, 888-512-6742, www.copia.org:
• Taste of COPIA Lunch: In the Garden includes interactive cooking demo, garden talk and lunch with wine; Fridays, Aug. 8, 15, 22, & 29; 1-2:15 p.m.; $50/person
• Hands-on Wine Blending Workshop; Fridays, Aug. 8, 15, 22, & 29; 3:15-4:30 p.m.; $65/person (advance only)

Clos du Val, 5330 Silverado Trail (near Oak Knoll), Napa, 707-261-5225, www.closduval.com:
• Annual Release Party; Saturday, Aug. 9, 6-10 p.m.; $75/person, $125/couple (advance only)

Cellar360, 900 North Point St. (at Larkin), 415-440-0772, www.cellar360.com:
.• Sauvignon Blanc Tasting; Saturday, Aug. 9, 2:30-4 p.m.; $35/person

Trentadue Winery, 19170 Geyserville Ave. (at Souverain), Geyserville, 888-332-3032, www.trentadue.com:
• Dog Days afternoon with doggy games, obstacle courses, pet-related vendors, and training tips from professional dog trainers; Sunday, Aug. 10, 12-4 p.m.; $5/person, $5/dog, kids free (portion of proceeds to benefit Healdsburg Animal Shelter)

Martini House, 863 Mission St. (at Fifth), 415-507-9962, www.thepartyhotline.com:
• 3rd Annual Tomato Dinner featuring a tomato-tasting menu paired with Peay Vineyards wine, a special showing of the 1991 sequel Killer Tomatoes Eat France, and a sparkling wine reception with chef Todd Humphries, winemaker Andy Peay, and film directors John DeBello and Kevin Morrisey; Wednesday, Aug. 13, 6:30 p.m.; $165/person for reception, dinner, and movie; $60/person for dinner only; and $110/person for dinner with wine pairing

Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, Ferry Building (Embarcadero at Market), 415-288-0470, www.fpwm.com:
• Flowers with Tom Hinde & Keiko Niccolini; Wednesday, Aug. 13, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
• Food and Wine Pairing with Debbie Zachareas; Thursday, Aug. 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; $65/person
• 2004 and 2006 Perrot-Minot Burgundies with Martine Saunier; Wednesday, Aug. 27, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Pink, 2925 16th St. (at South Van Ness), 415-431-8889, www.hiptastes.com:
• Rock & Roll Tasting of sushi rolls with pink, white and sparkling wines, and dance party; Friday, Aug. 15, 7-10 p.m.; $33/person

Viognier, 222 East Fourth Ave. (at B), San Mateo, 650-685-3727, www.viognierrestaurant.com:
• Wines of California five-course dinner featuring wines from Merry Edwards, Chateau Montelena, Lorca, Silver Oak, and Turley Cellars along with a treat from Gary’s Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands; Friday, Aug. 15, 1-4 p.m.; $140/person

San Francisco Bay Adventures, 85 Liberty Ship Way, Sausalito, 707-433-7427, www.michelschlumberger.com:
• Michel-Schlumberger Wine Cruise; Saturday, Aug. 16, 3-6 p.m.; $130/person (advance only; limited to 37 guests)

Campton Place Restaurant, 340 Stockton St. (at Sutter), 415-955-5574, www.tajhotels.com:
• BR Cohn Wine Dinner featuring Bruce Cohn; Tuesday, Aug. 19, 7-10:30 p.m.; $160/person

Winemaker Dinner Cruise, Hornblower Cruises, Pier 3 (Washington at Embarcadero), 415-438-8310, www.hornblowerholidays.com:
• Sterling Vineyards four-course dinner and three-hour bay cruise; Friday, Aug. 22, 7:30-10:30 p.m.; $159/person

Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, Marina Blvd. (at Buchanan), 415-388-3949, www.familywinemakers.org:
• Family Winemakers of California 2008 Tasting featuring JC Cellars along with 400 other winemakers; Sunday, Aug. 24, 2-6 p.m.; $45/person in advance, $55/person at the door

Vintners Club, 415-381-4467, www.vintnersclub.org:
• Rhône Varietals; Tuesday, Aug. 26, 6-7:30 p.m.

2008 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, 800-939-7666 for Visa Signature cardholders, www.sonomawinecountryweekend.com:
• Winemaker Lunches at various wineries, Friday, Aug. 29, 12:30 p.m.; $75/person
• Winemaker Dinners at various wineries, Friday-Saturday, Aug. 29-30, 6 p.m.; $160/person
• 29th Annual Taste of Sonoma featuring over 100 wineries and over 60 local chefs preparing food pairings; MacMurray Ranch, Healdsburg; Saturday, Aug. 30, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; $150/person
• Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction; Cline Cellars, Sonoma; Sunday, Aug. 31, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; $750/person

E-mail: jeannine@northsidesf.com