(Re-Tasted August 2008) ... Way back w
hen, in a galaxy far, far away Marynissen made a name for themselves making red wine: good, ageable red wines; though I may have been stretching it with this one. Seven years from vintage date I opened this bottle of Gamay Noir with a mix of trepidation and excitement. Gamay is the fruity grape of Beaujolais, and not anybody’s first choice for making a wine of any longevity. But combine a good growing season, with plenty of oak and know-how and you can make a wine of some depth and ageability. Popping the cork on this bottle produced a spray of flying wine diamonds, which had crystallized on the cork over the years. The initial smell and taste was harsh and sour, bitter even. After 45 minutes both the smell and taste had mellowed revealing cedar with cinnamon and dried fruit. An hour later we were back to bitter and sour – the wine had completely died. This one is drinkable, but only during a specific window of opportunity (between 45 minutes and an hour-and-a-half from opening) – otherwise its shot.
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