Let’s be clear about aging wine: you don’t have to. Any wine can be enjoyed when you buy it. The reason the winemaker bottled it is because he thought it was ready.
But wine can last a long time in the right conditions, and it can definitely improve with age. It can turn into a completely different taste as the years go by, and there’s nothing like opening an old bottle for a special occasion. So let me share a few thoughts about aging wine. A lot of this is remarkably obvious, but I don’t want to assume anything.
You have to store the wine properly or it will not last long. That means keeping it in a cool place (around 60 degrees). Don’t store a red wine in the refrigerator — that’s way too cold. Lay the bottle on its side so the cork will not dry out.
It’s not fully understood how a wine will age if it has the increasingly popular screw caps. Cork breaths and that’s what changes the wine, but screw caps are so good at sealing the wine that the aging process may not happen at all. So odds are that if you buy a wine with a screw cap, the winemaker never intended it to age in the bottle. It might last a long time, though.
Red wines age better than white wines. I try to drink most of my white wines within three years, though a few last for up to ten years. Folks have told me that some white wines last longer. Maybe. I just don’t see why you would wait. They are not going to improve much and are at risk of going bad.
High quality red wines can last decades. In the 1980’s we bought a few bottles of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, and the experts say that some of them will last until 2075. Obviously that’s unusual, but it gives you some idea of the possibilities. Even one of my favorite wines, Tofanelli, often suggests their Zinfandel and Charbono can last 15, 20, even 25 years.
If you buy a really good bottle of wine and you want to keep it for years, then ask the winery how long it should be stored. Email them — almost all of the wineries will respond with great information.
Some aged wines are best when decanted. That basically means allowed to breath for a bit after opening. They sell nice glass bottles you can pour the wine into (see the photo), or you can simply uncork the wine and let it sit for a bit. I suggest taking small sips of the wine as you do this because sometimes decanting can so accelerate the aging of the wine that you miss the peak time to drink it.
Keep in mind that wine can go bad if you keep it too long. I keep a spreadsheet of the wines I have in the cellar. I list where I bought it, what I paid, any points or ratings on the wine, when and where I drank it, and what I thought of it. Of most importance, I list when the wine should be drunk by. This helps avoid the wine aging too long. I’ve let that happen before — it’s depressing because you always wonder what you missed!
By the way, about those Chateau Mouton Rothschild wines: I bought them to correspond with our wedding year and our kids birthdays (’81, ’83, ’86). It has been fun to open a bottle on special occasions, whether Rachel and Jedd’s 21st birthdays or our 25th anniversary.
The bottom line is that you should just drink the wine when you want. If you want to splurge on a great wine to store for a long time, then go for it. Just store it properly. But you can take that same bottle and drink it immediately.
Cheers!