Knowing which wines to age and which wines to drink relatively soon after purchase are important distinctions. Various wine experts estimate that up to 80 to 90% of wine should be consumed while relatively young, basically within a year or so of bottling. Beaujolais Nouveau is an example of a wine that should be drunk young. In fact, each year France has a Beaujolais Nouveau festival that celebrates the new release of this fruity red wine. The festival celebrates and encourages consumption of this wine that the French people know is best when drunk young.

Wine aging is mostly the interaction between three of wine’s components, sulfites, tannins and acid and the fruit in the grape itself. Winemakers have some control over the presence of tannins, sulfites and acid in wine. Winemakers can use more or less aggressive juice extraction techniques, squeezing more or less grape skin and tannins. Further, winemakers can add sulfites to enable it to last longer. Lastly, the varying climates of wine growing regions impact the natural acids in grapes, Given the foregoing, it is impossible to make specific rules about how long any given wine will age. There are, however, some general rules of thumb regarding wine aging:

• Wine must have a fairly high level of tannins to age at all.
• Wine must have acidity to keep it fresh tasting.
• Fruit is what makes wine taste good

The fuller a wine is in all 3 of these components, the longer it will age. Generally, red wines with higher levels of tannin do well with some aging and big reds can hold up better than softer reds. White wine does not have as high a level of tannins as red and generally do not age as long and as well as red wines.

So, why age wine? Aging wine with heavier tannins allows the wine to mellow out over time. Before aging, the tannins in red wine can bring a bitter flavor. Over time, as a red wine ages, the tannins help to smooth the wine’s balance. As wine ages, the tannins precipitate out of the wine, leaving a smoother and mellower flavor. As red wine ages, its acids will lose their bitter flavor, allowing the fruit’s taste to develop more. As the components of the wine age, they also bring more complexity to the flavor. The goal of aging is a complex and balanced wine.

Which wines should be aged?

• Bordeaux and Bordeaux Blends
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Merlot
• Riesling
• Syrah/Shiraz/Petite Sirah
• Pinot Gris
• Pinot Noir
• Zinfandel

The ideal temperature for aging wine is about 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Whites tend to age a bit better in slightly cooler temperatures and reds in slightly warmer temperatures, but 55 degrees is a good balance for both red and white wine. Use a wine cooler or wine refrigerator to keep wine stored at its optimum temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

Published 9/7/2009 12:00:00 AM

Tags: Wine Aging,