Wine Snob: 1992 Husch Reserve Pinot Noir

Husch 1992 Reserve Pinot Noir

Recently, it was my birthday. Although I was (and am) ill, I managed to gather up my strength for a nice quiet dinner with my parents and a bottle of wine left for us by my uncle. The wine was reasonably close to my own age and I thought it would go well with the meal. I was right, the wine was lovely with the salads, pasta, and pizza we all shared.

I was kind of nervous at first. When the waiter poured the wine it was distinctly brown. I think he saw the look on my face because he told me that if I left it to breath, it would probably be quite nice. He was right: after only a few moments the wine turned from chestnut brown to a sort of brick red. The flavor progressed to become a very light, round, warm wine with minerals and a hint of pink pepper. It retained the slight tannic bite at the end.

I always like to compare old wines (when I get the chance to have them) to their original descriptions. This wine certainly changed from when it was bottled in 1994 after a 20-month period in oak barrels (this was Husch's first reserve pinot noit). They said that it tasted of cherries, violets, and cinnamon with a long, softly tannic finish.

If there are any bottles out there to try, I highly recommend it. Let it sit for at least an hour before tasting.