Date: 20-Jul-2005 16:55
Author: Rahsaan Email
Subject: Confusing Peyra
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David Lillie warned me to give this wine lots of air...Sure enough, when I opened it, a fetid mix of high-toned volatility and raw sewage wafted out of the bottle...When it came time to actually drink the wine, the stink had diminished to tolerable levels and was partially hidden by intense strawberry and freshly-turned dirt...

I'm of mixed minds about this stuff, because I've had plenty of wonderful experiences with Peyra, but they've never been bottles that exhibited this sewage funk. When the sewage funk appears, the wine ceases to be good for me, and while I can often tolerate the beginning of the sip, by the finish when the funk appears, I just can't believe that is an intended component.

To make things even more confusing, I've spoken with several wine clerks here in Paris, who appear decently knowledgable about the Peyra wines, and some recommend aging certain cuvees, while others warn against too much aeration before the oxidation takes over.

All that to say, great wines when they're on, not the most stable, and I have a hard time believing that sewage funk is a good part of the wine.

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