You’re lucky. I’ve noticed that some of the CA Pinot I bought in the mid 2000s haven’t aged well. I hadn’t intended to age them, but like many I overbought (underdrank?) and have just noticed that some just didn’t have the aging ability of others.
2006 Bergstrom wines…I was in the club so I think I got 2 or 3 cases that vintage. The last one I had was 2+ years ago and it smelled like coconut tanning oil. I’m sure he’s making wine folks like…it’s just not my preference at this point.
When I purchase multiple bottles of something, my goal is to have the last one be past prime (but not completely shot) to confirm that I consumed the rest of them before that point. Of course, some wines aren’t clearly past prime or come back from what is apparently past prime. That’s a problem I need an Oracle to solve. With that said, waiting too long to drink would be when I’ve got lots of something left and have the “past prime” bottle. I can’t think of anything off the top of my head in that category. I suspect a few things will be past prime when I have them, but they’re last bottles of my original purchases, so are pretty much where I want them to be. I do have concerns that there are some wines that would show better younger, but I’m afraid to drink during their early maturity because the hit/miss rate is so unpredictable.
Bergstrom from Oregon?? Either you’re extremely sensitive (doubtful) or something went wrong. An '06 well made pinot should be in great shape right now. There should be little to no oxidation at this point. I know Bergstrom can get a little high on the alcohol but I’d think it’s be in prime drinking window for primary fruit right now.
My CA Pinot buying did not really hit stride until 2008/2009, but overall there is something to be learned/experienced from just about any older bottle.
How something ages also depends on what you are looking for in an aged wine.
If you guys haven’t had a Bergstrom recently it might be worth a try. He’s practicing a lot more restraint and incorporating a fair bit of whole cluster. His 15 Shea is quite nice.
1998 Tatachilla Foundation, a few years ago. A wine that seemed to drop off a cliff based on my experience and a couple of Aussie forumites at the time.
Noted here, because that almost never happens. Wines will slowly change, lose a little freshness or balance, or just slowly become over-mature. The change one year to the next is rarely huge.
Opened a bottle of 2003 Verite Le Desir for my wife from an unopened case some months back–the wine tasted quite over the hill, tired and dull. Every darned bottle in the case tasted the same way, alas.