Emma Paulay Mar 25, 2009:

Take three I did a search on "vin ouverture précoce" - not many g-hits but both use it in the sense of "opening the bottle early". (cf Melzie's answer)

Carol Gullidge (asker) Mar 25, 2009:

gosh thanks! And sorry, I should have mentioned that these are preliminary tasting notes for the 2008 vintage - the wine hasn't been bottled yet. It never occurred to me that this wd be relevant, but of course, it is!

ormiston Mar 25, 2009:

on second thoughts, too now I wonder if it's not 'open up' as in 'coming into its own'. This is presumably why you've posted it. So I rally with aceavila & Emma's second thought.

ormiston Mar 25, 2009:

agree with Emma given the word 'présager' interesting link about what they call 'nerd' terms like 'open up' herehttp://www.barossa-region.org/wine/How-to-Taste-Wine-Like-th... BUT I think here because it has been tasted they are saying this wine can literally be opened earlier. ('indicates that it may be enjoyed when it is younger than the first wine' sort of thing)

Emma Paulay Mar 25, 2009:

On second thoughts... if that were the case they'd probably have said 'dégustation' instead of 'ouverture'.

Emma Paulay Mar 25, 2009:

Could also mean... ...that the wine matures quicker and so doesn't have to be kept for as long as the first one. So you can literally open it earlier.

Noni Gilbert Riley Mar 25, 2009:

Opening up/out "On peut vraiment observer l'ouverture du vin, l'augmentation d'ampleur et de complexité" http://www.vinogusto.com/fr/vino/34/domaine-de-la-verde-2001 (within the fourth comment from "Mike")
This quote would seem to support your interpretation Carol. I'm not an expert in this area (although goodness me I've done a lot of direct personal research...!), so I'll leave it for others to come up with final postings if this has been of any help. I'm taking it therefore to mean that the wine opens out, displaying its full character, showing off its true colours etc.