How does a bottle of wine go “dumb”?
Q: At a dinner party recently, the host opened up a very expensive bottle of 1996 DRC Échezeaux. After decanting, swirling, etc., the wine was pronounced “dumb.” I confess to feeling a bit dumb myself. What does this mean? A: Believe it or not, this is a widely accepted and quite useful term for describing a high quality red wine that has entered what might be thought of as its awkward adolescence. It seems to apply particularly to the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy (such as your DRC), although it strikes them somewhat unpredictably, often just a few years after they have been released, and sometimes not at all. Wines in a “dumb” phase have essentially shut down. They are mute, giving little flavor, even with vigorous swirling. Sometimes they show a bit more life in the nose than on the palate, but in general they are difficult to evaluate. These are not bad, flawed, cheap or simple wines; on the contrary, they may be excellent wines that are expected to age well over the long term. Th
