Clef du Vin*???

[Rossnaree]

Okay, so it's probably another one of those things that everyone else in the world already knows everything about it, kind of like that time I discovered the word "the." (Cue in a Peter Griffin flashback here.) After all, it's supposedly been tested for 10+ years or so, but I only just came across it today. There's an interesting video by Gary Vaynerchuk at winelibrary.com from 2007, and a LOT of back-and-forth on various wine sites from about 2006 or so to present, but other than Gary's actual testing over at winelibrary it all seems to be along division lines of those that use(d) it saying it works and those that haven't saying it doesn't or can't. Does anyone, ON HERE, have any experience with this? Later today, I'll be giving a few of my wine-snob siblings a call to ask them about it and to wish them a Happy New year, and it's also our father's 93rd birthday, but to honor all of you guys I figure I'll let y'all have the first slapdown smackdown opportunity on me. I know they'll be hitting me pretty hard about it themselves.

I'm wondering if it's quite what they claim it is. I haven't seen it cheaper than here ----> http://www.winevine-imports.com/clef-du-vin-pocket-professional?gclid=CKvlpNv-lqYCFQo75QodsiV6og

If this has already been covered, I apologize for being a dweeb and also for beating a dead horse. If it needs to be moved or deleted, I get it.

Thanks in advance.

- Tim

 

[Brewkowski]

I'd never seen that before, seems like one of those oh so cool gifts, but maybe I'm old school and i don't think you can really age a wine in seconds, you might oxidize it but that's not true aging. They keep mentioning a metal alloy, could it be similar how you don't connect copper to galvanized pipe due to corrosion, maybe a copper/brass/iron blend? I would be interesting to find out if it really does "age" the wine right before your vary eyes.

 

[Rossnaree]

Hop - From what I've been able to dig up, especially wrt the settlement of the suit in England, what it's truly intended to do is give you an idea whether or not the wine is suitable for aging, not to give an actual profile of what it'll be like when aged. For instance, and this is what it appears was missed in the video I referenced (here's the link: http://tv.winelibrary.com/2007/07/1...ainst-chateau-montelena-and-more-episode-274/ ), if it looks good at the "5-year" mark, or 5-seconds, but the "7-year" isn't any improvement, it'll be good aged to 5 but less than 7 years. WAY oversimplified explanation here, but I think you get my meaning. I've been reading that anything more than 10 years out and it's not as good at "predicting." Another thing that I've been reading is that it appears to be a better measure/indicator of how the tannins will mellow out with the appropriate aging, not so much the nose, taste or mouthfeel.

Anyways, I probably won't be buying one, at least not new, and not likely any time soon. I just thought it was pretty neat and wanted to know if anyone has had actual experience using one. My King of the North grapes and also my Concords have a lot of tannins, and need considerable aging to mellow them out, but the problem is that they don't have all the rest of what it takes to age that long. SO, on the other side of the coin, like you said, MAYBE it can be used to tame the tannins in these otherwise young-ish wines at serving? IDK... hence, my questions from every direction.

 

[Brewkowski]

Ok, I see what your talking about, I couldn't watch the video from work, so it's more of a tool to examine wine, not so much a tool to "age" a nice bottle at a party that you opened before it's time. That makes more sense and I think that would give you some good indications of potential aging. Wish I had some actual experience with it.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Just my opinion, but the underlying principle is to separate your hard-earned money from your wallet.