Obviously, light causes the bad kind of aging, so store your wine away from bright areas unless you expect to consume it very soon. You may have noticed that some wine comes in clear bottles. This is a perfect indicator to drink it right away.
These wines will not improve with age so are not sold in protective tinted containers. Okay, now how long should you store various wine varieties? Here are some very general aging guidelines based on years after the vintage date year the fruit was harvested not years from purchase:. Within a few months: Sparkling wines and light delicate fruity whites in clear bottles such as Pinot Gris or Chenin Blanc.
So, you might want to avoid the 5-year-old bottle of Sauvignon Blanc in the bargain bin. Oxygen plays a role as well: The right amount of oxygen, which comes into a bottle over time through the pores of the cork, helps promote that same mellowing process. Too much oxygen, though, can result in excess oxidation, where a wine ends up turning brown and tasting weird. Think of what happens to a piece of cut fruit left out on the kitchen counter.
But there is also a whole world of wine — from toasty Champagne to brooding cabernet to perfumed pinot to complex, reflective chardonnay — that can benefit enormously from a bit of time in the bottle.
Certain grapes are especially well known for their complex aging properties. Nor is aging a guaranteed way to improve any and every wine; some wines actually lose their appeal with age. But there are some commonalities among aged wines. How this plays out in a specific bottle goes back to the endless variables and choices made by the winemaker. A bottle of white Burgundy from the Meursault made with the chardonnay grape , for example, will age differently than a California chardonnay, but both might lose a bit of their lemon chardonnay-like tartness across the decades, replaced by flavors of honey and yellow plum.
A pinot noir from Oregon or New Zealand might start with young, brash notes of raspberry and cherry before decaying pleasurably into something more like violets, cassis, and the water at the bottom of a flower vase. Speaking broadly, vintage wine tastes like the wine itself, with an added wrinkle of mystery and quantum complexity.
Think of how a nice Sunday braise grows more layered and delicious the longer you let it simmer. Finding vintage wine has never been easier, thanks to our all-internet-everything world, along with a surge in online wine buying during the pandemic. And the stuff has never been more popular, says John Kapon, chairman of the wine auction leader Acker Wines , who tells me his auction house is doing record numbers.
For the rest of us, approachably priced vintage wines have never been easier to obtain. At Parcelle Wine on West 58th Street in Manhattan, vintage wine is available over the counter as well as from its online store. We find a lot of value in those wines. There are even some retailers who sell almost nothing but vintage wine. One is Walker Wine Company , whose founder, Walker Strangis, has worked across a range of procurement methods — from estate sales to auctions to private collections — to develop an enviable list of vintage wines that are sold directly to consumers.
Invite me over, though. A cool, damp basement is your friend. Something around 55 degrees with a little ambient humidity is perfect. Meanwhile, red wine will typically take on a darker brown color. For example, acidic wines will last longer, as they lose acidity during the aging process.
When it comes to aging, red wines are quite flexible. Certain types can be aged for just three to five years, while others can remain in a cellar for decades. Additionally, some bottles have already been aged before you even find them in stores. A few terms to keep an eye out for that indicate an aged wine are Reserva, Riserva, and Gran Reserva.
Similar to red wines, white varietals can age from one year to several decades. Keep in mind that bottles with higher acidities and sugar levels can be aged longer. Many varietals, including Madeira and Sauternes , can last several decades. There are a few lasting tips to keep in mind before you start cellaring your wine.
Most bottles should be stored between 55 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit, with around 75 percent humidity.
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