By Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
Wednesday, March 26, 2008; F05

Although the arrival of spring prompts us to crave crisp white wines, an increasing number of the questions you've been asking us have to do with buying, cellaring and serving older reds.

In January I purchased a 1994 Vega-Sicilia Unico and a 1996 Opus One Proprietary. I have kept the wine at a constant 63-65 degrees, knowing that 55 is the ideal cellar temperature. Should I serve the wine at the 63-65 temperature, or a little higher? Also, decant or not, and if yes, how long prior to serving it? One last question: I plan to prepare a roasted lamb dish, but I have read that beef may be a better match for the Opus One. What would you recommend?

-- Ray Leon, Fairfax

The 1994 Vega-Sicilia Unico -- from arguably the best wine estate in Spain -- is a powerful, spicy wine made from 75 percent tempranillo and 25 percent cabernet sauvignon. The 1996 Opus One Proprietary is 82 percent cabernet sauvignon, with the rest a blend of cabernet franc, malbec and merlot. Those or any other tannic red wines are best served at 60 to 65 degrees; start them out at the lower end of the range, since wine naturally warms to room temperature. (Lighter reds can be served even cooler; i.e., 50 to 55 degrees.) Roasted lamb would accompany either or both beautifully; other options to consider include beef, game (such as elk or venison) and game birds (such as duck).

Any wine over eight years old is likely to have developed sediment, which can be removed before drinking by decanting. The more tannic the wine -- think California cabernets and Bordeaux -- the greater the need to decant to remove those bitter or astringent specks of tannins and other insoluble materials that are as unappealing to the eye as they are to the tongue.

Let the sediment settle to the bottle's bottom by standing it upright, undisturbed, for at least 24 hours. Then, as you pour the wine into a decanter, stop pouring before the sediment comes out. Use a candle or other light source underneath the bottle to better spot when the sediment is approaching its neck.

How long in advance to open the wine is debatable. As we've unfortunately learned the hard way, older wines can be fragile. In some cases, excessive exposure to air can "turn" a long-cellared wine. So, starting the moment a bottle is opened, savor each sip. Some might peak within 15 minutes, but if you're lucky you might be able to experience its flavor unfolding over more than an hour.

At a local charity auction, I picked up a six-liter bottle (a Methuselah, I believe) of 2000 Chateau Landat Haut-Medoc, and I have no idea what to do with it. What advice can you provide on storage and consumption (i.e., is it best now or will it continue to get better with age)? And when it's time to drink it, besides having lots of friends over, what food would best complement this wine?

-- Greg Ordun, Washington

We weren't familiar with this particular wine, so for input we turned to Peter D. Meltzer, author of "Keys to the Cellar: Strategies and Secrets of Wine Collecting" (Wiley, $30), which tied for the 2006 Georges Duboeuf Wine Book of the Year Award.

Meltzer wrote in an e-mail: "It is a relatively inexpensive (under $20 for a 750 ml bottle) cru bourgeois that has a limited shelf life. It should hold up for another couple of years, but why wait? If you have a wine cellar, lay the bottle on its side to keep the cork moist and to retard oxidation. If you don't have a wine cellar, that's all the more reason to consume it in the very near future."

Given the size of your mega-bottle (called a Methuselah elsewhere, it's known as an Imperiale in the Bordeaux region and is the equivalent of eight regular-size bottles), you should be able to drink your fill with roasted beef or lamb and still have enough left for lingering over a cheese course starring brie or Camembert.

My boyfriend, a novice wine connoisseur/collector, turns 30 in April. I would love to purchase a wine for him that was bottled in 1978, but I have no idea where to begin. The only "must" in this selection is that it be red.

-- Lexy, Fairfax

When you're interested in buying wine from a particular year, consult a vintage chart to see which regions you might investigate. For example, the one compiled by MacArthur Beverages ( http://www.bassins.com/resources/vin_chart.html) indicates that in 1978, Burgundy had a stellar year: a rating of 90 out of 100. Unfortunately, Burgundy prices have risen prohibitively.

Of the 1978 vintage, Meltzer wrote, "California and Bordeaux enjoyed a good harvest, and their bottlings are more accessible." Among the former, he singled out Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon ($84) and Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon ($64); his tips for the latter ranged from Château Lafite Rothschild ($259) and Louis Latour ($198) on the higher end of the price range to Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste ($54) and Château Canon-La -Gaffelière ($50) on the lower end. Those are all auction prices; retail prices may be higher.

To find available wines from 1978, visit Winesearcher.com and search by vintage date. If you're looking for wines at auction, visit Winebid.com. And, once you find that 1978, please enjoy it soon. Nothing lasts forever!

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As happy as we are to answer questions about old reds, spring is when we can't get enough of fresh, crisp white wines, whose bright acidity makes them ideal pairing partners for all kinds of lighter dishes. Two of our recent discoveries feature zingy grapefruit notes marking their aromas and flavors.

Karen's first sip of the 2006 Hall Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($20) revealed this racy white wine to be a celebration of citrus: Grapefruit, lemon and lime flavors were accented by notable minerality and a dry finish. When we tasted it alongside chicken with spring vegetables in a lemon and white wine sauce, both food and wine sang. The same happened when we paired it with scallops, and we imagine it would be great with most any kind of shellfish.

Andrew's pick comes from a winemaker whose golf putts he'd focused on more than his wines: the NV Greg Norman Estates Australian Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir ($15). This refreshing apples-meet-grapefruit bubbly also paired beautifully with the same chicken and vegetable dish. A well-made wine, it has impressive staying power: We re-tasted it five days after opening (the half-full bottle had been sealed with a champagne stopper, then refrigerated) and were surprised to find its lively flavor and bubbles intact.

Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, award-winning authors of "What to Drink With What You Eat," can be reached at food@washpost.com. If you have a wine-related question, be sure to include your full name and city for publication, along with your e-mail address and telephone number for confirmation.