A few days ago I discovered a bottle of 2000 Rosemount Shiraz/Cabernet in my wine storage that I had overlooked. Normally I would have drank this earlier. However I did not expect what happened next...
I like the Rosemount Shiraz/Cabernet as a very inexpensive red, and I had several bottles of both the 2000 and 2001 vintages that were already consumed and recently had some of the 2002 vintages, all without problems and very good at the price ($5-$6).
Knowing that the 2000 vintage of this wine was likely past its prime at this point, I opened it within a day or two and got a real surprise: a very strong chocolate taste and very "soft". Definitely NOT to my liking. I managed to choke down the first glass, then came back and tried it again a few hours later and ended up pouring the rest down the drain...
Is this normal with wines of this type? any ideas what caused the distinctive chocolate taste and change in body in such a short period of time? It had only been sitting in my wine storage area for a year or two... temperature not an ideal 55F but held fairly steady between 65-70F and no light intrusion except when I occasionally open it up.
I appreciate any thoughts anyone has on this...?
Jay
I've found very spotty results with cellaring inexpensive wines (those meant for immediate consumption) adding the fact that your storage area is rather warm -which leads to accellerated aging- I would suspect this wine is just "past it's prime". I've had similar results with inexpensive Beaulieu wines that I really like. If they sit too long- ICK.
However, I seem to recall the expensive big brothers for this wine in 2000 both had very chocolatey overtones. This was the case for both the Cab and the Syrah. Maybe the off casts put in the Cab/Shiraz had a similar taste. Of course the big brothers also have the long lasting fruit to carry this off over time.
Given the Cab/Shiraz usually has a drink within 12 months style with few tanins, it may just be that the fruit's worn off and left the chocolate. I suspect that will disappear pretty quickly too.
Normally this wine is pretty bright crimson. What was it when you opened it?
Yes, normally this wine is usually a bright crimson. When I opened this one, thought, it looked like the color had shifted a little toward brownish and gotten a little murky, too.
It could have been bad to begin with.I have read that about 5% of all wines leavinf the winery are bad.Corks sometimes cause problems.I have opened a few bottles that were corked.The temperatue could also be the problem.Don't dwell on it its cheap bulk wine!
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