A few rules of thumb for winetasters in a hurry to pour

A brother who seems to know his way around a wine bottle says, "I never drink any Cabernet less than five years old.  That's when they're ready to drink."

Hmm.  I would not live by that rule, but like speed limits in Montana, I understand their purpose.   They shortcut the search--whether for syrah or rainbow trout.    But like women who hang out in bars, and politics in general, following them has unfortunate side effects.

For instance, that 5-year rule would cause me to miss:

While that wouldn't stop me from trying a Colgin Cabernet Cariad...the price might--it's $695.00 a bottle, which puts it at odds with my only rule:  Nothing over $25 unless it's a gift...then I'll go...$30.    Like the Harlan Estate 2005 Cab at $2,895 a bottle, rated 100 by Robert Parker, it will just have to stand beside Ingrid Bergman as a delight I'll never sample.

What about that 2007 Joseph Phelps (half) bottle of Cab Insignia at $125? you ask. ]Well, it's hard to say.  Is that old enough?    If I'm going to spend $125....it's not old enough. I'd expect it to be at least 21.

But I don't have to wait for that.  I've already tried the 2008 Kathryn Hall Napa  Valley Cab.  It was just fine.  Parker gave it a 95, by the way, and listed another 2008 Hall Cab among the top wines of 2011.

I could list a dozen more Cabs that are mere toddlers in wine time.  But what about my brother's rule of thumb? Tannic wines soften as they age, taking some of that edge off the the first sip.   And like a certain woman who shall remain nameless here, Cabs do hold up better than other grapes as they get older.

I should add that (according to a respected sommelier quoted in Forbes Magazine) there are some Super Tuscan wines like Ucelleria Brunello di Montalcino (sangiovese) which gain good weight as they age because they are blended with Bordeaux grapes grown in the same region of Italy.  He also names the Castello Romitorio Romito del Romitorio 2004 as a hefty wine that holds up well after aging.   But don't expect to see that Brunello for under $60.  The 2004 Romitorio is a better bet ($40-50) and has been rated 88 or better.

So my pragmatic thumbrule is this:  if the wine ran you more than $125 a bottle, it's safe to hold it for a few years.  At $250, you might even hang on for 15-20 years When you finally open it, you'll feel like a god..until it's gone.  To prevent the letdown that is inevitable when you reach the bottom of that bottle, buy three.

Now you know why (a) I don't buy wines that expensive, and (b) why I don't mind drinking younger Cabs.    But don't apply that 5-year rule to wine in general--they are built for drinking in most cases....pun intended.