Tasting Date: 24 February 2006
The 1998 Pinot Noir unfortunately experienced a bloom of Brettanomyces in the bottle some time after bottling, (perhaps the result of a young winery buying second hand barrels to get older oak). The degree to which this affected the wine is dependent on the temperature of the bottles when the bloom occurred. We have seen bottles which were stored in warm conditions which are effectively undrinkable, while there are examples which have been carefully kept where the wine still shows power and balance, and a complexing funkiness, though if you don’t like Brett then you won’t like the wine. Many of our old world fans, including many noted critics have praised this vintage, but there is no denying the microbial origins of its complexity. Our advice if you have some is to open it and see what is there. The wine is certainly not a hold, more an open it and see!