Black Hills Nota Bene

[butter]

I'm a beginner when it comes to wine and decided to buy two bottles of this B.C. 1999 wine before doing any research on it. Have recently read an article from www.heartofwine.com where it says "Drinkability: until 2006, peak in late 2003 to 2004." At the party where I opened one of the bottles, a fellow e-gulleter commented that I should perhaps not open the other bottle until 2 years from now. Wouldn't this be past it's drinkability range? Since I just bought this wine, it's already past it's peak time. Can someone explain in simple terms why a wine can peak, but still be drinkable up until 2006? Thank you in advance.

For those interested:

http://www.heartofwine.com/articles/Spring...ture%20Wine.htm

[Keith Talent]

The article was written in Spring '02, therefore the drinking guide is a best guess only. They estimated the prime years, but perhaps underestimated slightly. Not uncommon, but nothing to worry about either. I;'m ceratin that while two years may benefit the wine, it's most likely drinking very nicely now.

Anyone have any guesses when the current just released vintage will be ready to drink, I beleive it's 2003.

(edit) I opened one bottle on the weekend. It seemed fine, you could tell that there was some unresolved fruit underneath that would emerge with time. Overall, it was very very good.

Edited May 31, 2005 by Keith Talent (log)

[2roost]

Can someone explain in simple terms why a wine can peak, but still be drinkable up until 2006? Thank you in advance.

←

Most wines improve on an upward curve and then generally plateau for a period of time before beginning to decline. It's sort of like a Bell's curve with a flat line on the top.

["T"]

Mr. Gothe(sp) in the Straight was wetting himself over the 02 vintage which is good since I have many bottles I just found in a case I had forgotten about. I may crack one on the weekend.

[Ling]

butter, is this the wine we had at the BBQ? I looked at the bottle you brought and I'm quite sure it was a 2003 Nota Bene.