Time for your end-of-the-week wine break! In this week’s wine clip Master Sommelier Michael Jordan shows off his prized liquid gold – signed bottles, Screaming Eagle , a rare Chateau Latour and more! Not sure if you’ve ever seen any of these tres riche rarities live, but I sure haven’t, and really enjoyed getting the chance. Also, here’s Michael Jordan's -- albeit long, but very informative -- answer to a good question from one of our readers, that addresses the ever-recurring question of; how long do I wait to drink this?? And if you’re harbouring any burning wine questions of your own – anything at all – please ask away! Post your questions in the comment section below or email me at blog(at)foodtv(.)ca. FYI, If this is your visit with our informal “Wine School”, check out the original post for details. Patrick said: Hi, I have several bottles of various reds, old world and new, that have been sitting for several years. Is there is a general rule as to how long you can hold on to a red before it passes its peak? Michael Jordan: Patrick, Sorry for this long answer but there isn't really a rule that general ... It all depends on the type of wine, its style, how much tannin and acidity will dictate how long it can age. The reason we aged wines to begin with was because upon release they were too tannic, not in balance, and hence not ready to drink. Wine should have a great balance of fruit, tannin, acid and oak (if any oak is used). What makes a good wine, in fact, is the balance, along with the good taste of high quality fruit. Used to be, years ago, wines from Bordeaux or Napa Valley made from Cabernet Sauvignon needed several years for the tannin to soften up and become more enjoyable and "drinkable." This has changed in the nineties to some degree... Now we find wines especially from the new world that are amazingly drinkable upon release and aging is not so necessary. In fact, they don't age long because of the grapes being picked super ripe, with low acidity levels. Modern winemaking innovations like extended maceration prior to fermentation (soaking crushed grapes with their skins at cold temp before adding yeast to begin fermentation) have allowed winemakers to get so much flavour, color and texture into big full bodied Cabernet-Sauvignon-based wines without the huge tannin. Now with Pinot-Noir-based wines like the great Burgundies of France – while the wines are...

No need for pencils and books! Disney’s Master Sommelier Michael Jordan – one of only 167 Master Sommeliers world wide – shares with us some useful wine tips! Last week we kicked off our “Wine School” that’s going to be hi-jacking Video of the Week for the next six weeks. Michael Jordan, our host for the duration, gave us a quick tour of the dream cellar at premier Napa Rose restaurant in Disney Land, California. This week, he gives us great tips on red wines – if you’ve wanted to gain a better appreciation for reds but haven’t had much success finding wines you like, then see the video below. And don’t forget to leave us a question – next week, when we post Wine School’s third video installment, we’ll be posting Michael Jordan’s responses! FYI, Here’s how Wine School works: For the next six Fridays we’ll run a clip of Master Jordan’s wine tips Watch it, and then get a chance to ask the Master Sommelier some of your own burning wine questions! Each week Michael Jordan will be answering select questions from you, our readers, that we’ll make sure to share along with the weekly video post When else are you going to get the chance to question a Master Sommelier? Post your questions below, or email us at blog(@)foodtv(.)ca. Note: When emailing please make sure to omit the brackets in the given email address. More from Wine School: Wine School, Part 1 - Meet the Master Nose Wine School, Part 3 - Jordan Gushes About German Riesling Wine School, Part 4 - A Glimpse at Some Rare Bottles Video of the Week appears Fridays on Food For Thought