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WINE
Text、Photo / 唐維怡 Eva Tang
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封藏在瓶中的時間軌跡
對於所有的美酒愛好者來說，最痛苦的莫過於永遠 不足的酒量與荷包。
等待被嘗試的美酒太多了，即便同一家酒莊的同一 款酒，每年也因著天候狀況的不同而有所差異，因此， 如何讓每一次的品酒體驗盡善盡美，就不得不在每次開 瓶前問自己：現在，真的是喝這瓶酒最好的時間嗎 ?
一瓶葡萄酒乘載的，是釀酒師的信念與時間的軌跡。 被裝入玻璃瓶並不代表葡萄酒就此被封存，維持著如睡 美人般永恆的年輕與美 孔，葡萄酒仍持續緩慢地呼吸著， 瓶中的化學元素與空氣互動，無聲地變化著，鮮甜欲滴 的新鮮果香漸漸轉化為成熟而甜美的果乾，煙草、炒蘑 菇、蜜餞、土壤等所謂的三級香氣 (Tertiary Aromas) 逐 漸浮現，酒液中令人感到顆粒與苦澀感的單寧，也逐漸 在時間的醞釀下變得柔軟。
當然，並不是每瓶酒都講求長時間的瓶中陳放。事 實上，市場上超過八成的酒是為了讓消費者新鮮飲用而 生，釀酒師期盼消費者在這些酒中感受到新鮮躍動的果 香與花香，在出廠後的數個月內，他們便開始進入適飲 的高峰，在良好的保存狀態下，這樣的高峰期可能維持 數年，但數十年後便過度老化，失去了釀酒師最想呈現 的新鮮樣貌。
然而，部分釀酒師有著遠大的企圖心，他們期盼自己的酒能夠經得 起時間的考驗，因此，堅實的骨架、渾厚的單寧、與偏高的酸度被刻意 地雕琢。這些酒款在甫一出廠時，也許仍會有些新鮮的水果香氣，卻有 著略為苦澀或過於雄壯而難以親近的口感。然而，若是經過三五年的陳 放，成熟而濃郁的氣息將伴隨著逐漸柔化而顯得圓潤飽滿的口感，展現 出輕熟女那迷人的自信；經過七年十年的陳放，濃郁華麗的氣息變得益 發內斂，華美的口感下仍可感受到那經歲月洗禮、稜角分明的睿智。
酒評家的神預測 ?
「哇 ! 這濃郁的龍眼蜂蜜也太誘人 !」好友 C 讚嘆到 !
「口感飽滿、酸度也還很漂亮 ! 看來再放個兩三年都沒問題 !」自 己老王賣瓜道。
「這麼好喝的酒竟然已經過了適飲期，看來酒評家講的也不一定正 確嘛 !」C 總結。
確實，酒評家們依據自己多年的經驗，感受酒液的單寧與酸度等架 構，推敲著這瓶酒的「適飲期」，但這並非唯一標準。 事實上，針對同一款酒，十位酒評家給出來的適飲期都不盡相同， 因為，正如醒酒時間一般，適飲期是沒有正確答案的，每位葡萄酒愛好 者都有自己的觀點與見解。
但若只是放越久就越美好這樣的直線變化，葡萄酒就不會因神祕與 捉摸不定而引人入勝。也許出廠之際就是一瓶葡萄酒最華麗的轉身，也 許我們永遠也等不到他的巔峰期，也許會很不巧地與最美好的巔峰擦身 而過，也或許，巔峰期不只會出現一次，可能在一次絢爛的開展後進入 長時間的閉鎖期，等待著下一次輝煌的來臨。
有時候，美好屬於耐心等待的人
「不曉得如何判斷最適當的適飲期怎麼辦 ?」好友 C 問到。
其實，假使不幸在開瓶後發現他似乎還太青澀或太過緊實也不用著 急，給他一些時間讓他跟空氣接觸，靜待他的變化與成長也是可行的，
他需要的是，只是更多一些的耐心。繁盛之後是一片平淡，亦或再 一次的動人心魄的高潮，無人能斷定；可以肯定的是，給予葡萄酒足夠 的耐心，他亦將回應以美好。
Last weekend, I dig out a bottle of Sancerre Blanc that has been buried deep down in the cellar and brought it to a restaurant. As soon as I sat down, my wine-loving good friend Miss C picked up the bottle and said, "1994 Sancerre Blanc! Is it...still drinkable?" She looked at me, puzzled.
"Well....I hope it's still good." I smiled sheepishly. "Let's see how it tastes like. We can always open up a bottle from the restaurant if it is not okay."
Yes, the impression most people have about Sancerre Blanc is that it tastes better when it's fresh.
That is, everyone expects that a wine is "ready to drink" right after its release.
Exactly what does it mean when a bottle of wine is "ready to drink", how do you know the wine is at its peak, and how is it decided?
READY TO DRINK?
The Trace of Time Sealed in a Bottle
For all wine lovers, two biggest dilemmas are never being able to drink that much and not having enough money to buy that much. There are simply too many choices of wine waiting in line to be tasted, not to mention different vintages of the same wine from the same winery counts for different wines. Therefore, in order to create the best experience for the very bottle at the very moment, we have to ask ourselves questions before opening it: Is this the best time for this wine? Has it reached its peak? Will I be able to taste the best out of it should I open it now?
Each bottle of wine carries the faith of the winemaker and
the trace of time. Being sealed inside the bottle does not mean the wine stops growing, like the sleeping beauty that preserve its youth and beauty over time. It continues to breathe slowly through the tiny pores of the cork. The chemical elements interact with air inside the bottle, changing in a silent but continuous manner. The freshness and salivating fruitiness gradually transform into ripe dried fruits. Also emerging gradually are the so-called tertiary aromas, including tobacco, fried mushrooms, candied fruits, and soil.
The granular and astringent taste of tannins in the liquor also soften gradually with time.
Of course, not every wine is aimed for long-term aging in the bottle. In fact, more than 80 percent of the wines in the market were brewed for early drinking. The winemakers want consumers to sense the freshness and vibrant fruity and floral aromas. Only a few months after the wines are released, they are at their peaks. When well-preserved, the peak period may last for several years. The wines will become over-aged decades later, losing the freshness that winemakers aiming to present.
Nevertheless, some of the winemakers are more ambitious. They expect their wines to withstand the test of time. Thus, solid framework, thick tannins, and high acidity may be formulated deliberately. Fresh fruity notes may still exist right after they are released, but the taste may not be as approachable for its rather muscular body. However, after aging for three to five years, a mature and rich aroma will accompany the gradually softened and rounded taste, demonstrating the enchanting self-confidence of a woman in their thirties and forties. After aging seven to ten years, or even longer, the aroma move from vibrant to restrained and gentle as the taste become rounder.
Amazing Predictions of Wine Critics?
"Wow, this rich longan honey flavor is fascinating!" Miss C shouted.
"not to mention that beautiful acidity! I think it could last for another three years!" I sort of boasting of my wine.
"It's remarkable that such a delicious wine has passed its peak according to the critics. Looks like wine critics aren't always right", concludes Miss C.
In fact, wine critics often estimate the "ready to drink" and "peak" period of wine when they are just released, sometimes even before bottling. They make the decision base on years of experience concerning the structure of wine – tannin, acidity, and body. However, in fact, ten out of ten wine critics would have different opinion towards the same bottle of wine, describing different prediction. Therefore, just like the time required for decanting, there is no one correct answer when a wine is ready to drink. Every wine lover will develop their own perspectives and understanding over time.
If it is a linear transformation that wine will always get better when it gets older, the wine would lost its most charming characteristics of being mysterious and elusive.
Perhaps the best time of a bottle is at the moment it is released; perhaps we will never be able to wait that long for the peak of a bottle to emerge; or perhaps we had unfortunately passed by the best moment of a bottle. Moreover, there could be more than one peak period of a bottle, and after the very first peak period, , it may stay dormant until the next glorious arrival.
Sometimes, Good Things Come to Those Who Wait
Miss C asked curiously: "What would you do when you don't know how to determine if a wine is ready to drink?"
In fact, just as the critics would give out different answers, it is totally fine when you open up a bottle and find it somehow tight. Simply give it some time to breathe in the glass, interact with air, and wait calmly for its transformation and development. All it needs is more patience.
After the peak period, what follows may be staleness or another exhilarating peak. What is certain is that given enough patience, it will likely respond splendidly.
