Wine Ageing

The Art Of Time In The Bottle

Wine ageing allows flavors, aromas, and textures to evolve, but only certain wines improve with time. Understanding which bottles benefit from ageing and providing proper storage conditions are key to success.

Regarding Reds:
Tannins act as natural preservatives, making structured reds excellent candidates for ageing. Varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Barolo, and Vintage Port soften over time, trading youthful intensity for complexity. These wines develop secondary aromas of leather, tobacco, and earth while their tannins become silkier. Yummy.

What About Whites:
Acidity is white wine's backbone for ageing. High-acid varieties like Riesling and Chenin Blanc can develop beautifully for decades, gaining honey and petrol notes. Sweet wines offer even more potential—their combination of sugar and high acidity acts as a double preservative, allowing wines like Sauternes or Tokaji to evolve for 50+ years. Quality oaked whites, particularly Burgundian Chardonnay, develop attractive nutty complexity. However, most light, unoaked whites peak within their first few years. Err on the side of caution.

... And Bubbles?
Vintage Champagne and traditional-method sparklers develop appealing brioche and toasted almond notes over 5-10 years. Non-vintage bottles, however, are crafted for immediate enjoyment and fresh fruit character.

A WORD OF CAUTION THOUGH!
Poor storage conditions will ruin even the most age-worthy wines. Heat cooks your wine and accelerates ageing irreversibly, while temperature fluctuations, low humidity = shrinking corks, and light exposure can quickly deteriorate wine quality. A stable environment (55°F, 60% humidity) is essential for successful ageing. It's a handful.

To Sum It All Up...
Age only wines with preservative elements—tannins, acidity, or sugar—and ensure proper storage conditions. When in doubt, most wines are crafted for earlier consumption. Better to enjoy a wine too young than past its prime. And yes ... it happened to me while experimenting with this 😭