The best way to age wine is to buy it and then forget that it exists. We bought Zugibe Vineyard’s 4 Freds Red in July 2015, put it down in the basement so the summer heat wouldn’t effect it, and promptly forgot that it existed. Last week, we rediscovered it. We were tasting wine at the New York Wine and Culinary Center, and they had the 2013 4 Freds Red. The 2013 had a nose of berries and cedar, with a nice lingering, medium tannin, but was still a little young. The 2011 on the other hand is rich, velvetly, and shows the potential of ‘forgetting’ about wine.

Tasting Note

See: Dark purple

Smell: Dark berries and cherry, cedar, hint of spice

Sip: The berries really come through on the palate, balanced acidity, medium tannin

Wine Low-Down

Winery: Zugibe Vineyards

Region/Sub-Region: Finger Lakes/Seneca Lake

Wine: 4 Freds Red

Vintage: 2011

Varietal: 30% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 30% Lemberger and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol: 13%