Aged Wine (1/3): What is an aged wine?

Wine is often said to be a “living” product, hence the importance of aging it under good conditions.
For example, in the cellars of Cavissima…
However, not all wines react in the same way to aging and not all benefit from being kept for a long time.
So, what are the characteristics of a wine meant for aging?

Introduction

By definition, a wine for aging is a wine that can be kept for several years in a cellar, improving with age.
Note that not all wines improve with age and some are best enjoyed when young.
That said, even when wine benefits from the passage of time, the storage period remains limited and your wines in the cellar must be monitored.
The optimal aging period varies depending on the vintage and region, and we can distinguish:

• The wines of medium guardwhich can be stored for between 5 and 10 years
• those of long guard between 10 and 20 years old
• and finally the wines of very long guard, reaching their peak after 20 years.

These differences stem from the intrinsic, unique characteristics of the precious liquid; and this is what makes the efficient management of a wine cellar both complex and exciting.

I. General characteristics of wine for aging

In terms of sanitary characteristicsYour bottles need a preservative. For wine, sulfur dioxide plays this role. It inhibits certain yeasts and bacteria and protects the wine from oxidation. Without this molecule, your beverage would quickly turn into a lovely vinegar.
That's why we can ask ourselves the question of la garde natural wines, without sulfur... 

From a "taste" perspective, in order to improve with age, wine must possess a solid, stable structure and good aromatic concentrationThis means that it must have a well-defined tannic and acidic structure, and that the alcohol level must also be in harmony with it.
These characteristics will depend on factors such as the grape varieties used in assembly, the terroir (ground and climat), THE vintage (weather conditions specific to the year), and the winemaking techniques.
We will examine these different factors in more detail in a future article.

On a "technical" level, the containing It also plays a role. If red wine bottles are dark green, it's to block sunlight and light in general. Light is, in fact, another factor in oxidation.
Thus, if rosé wine is contained in transparent bottles, it is because it is not intended for storage…Furthermore, the large formats allow for a slower evolution of the wines. Again, because oxidation, which causes the changes, is slower. The larger the format (magnum, double magnum, impériale…) and the longer you can keep these wines.

Finally, the cork quality It also influences aging. Cork stoppers, permeable to air, allow for slow oxygenation of the wine. This gas exchange is necessary for the evolution of aromas and structure on the palate: acidity decreases, tannins soften.

 

Did you know: Why are bottles stored horizontally? The reason bottles are stored lying down is to keep the end of the cork submerged. This prevents the cork from contracting and the wine from being subjected to harmful over-oxygenation.

 

II. How to determine the aging potential of a wine?

Unfortunately, nothing is written on the label. No mention “To be kept for 10 years” or even “cellar wine” does not exist. Similarly, designations such as “Grand Cru" are not enough to say that a wine is suitable for aging.

Thus, to answer the question of how to determine aging potential, there is only one solution: organoleptic tastings.
In short, give it a try!
Indeed, to best determine the aging potential of your wine, you need to taste it regularly. The frequency will depend on your experience, the wine being tasted, and the number of bottles available.
This method allows us to see where the wine is in its life cycle (see graph below).


Wine evolution curve:

Graphic: Mets-vins.com

With experience, some manage to determine the number of years until peak in a single tasting!
This happens not because a single rule is defined, but rather because our emotional memory allows us to make comparisons and draw conclusions.

If you are not fortunate enough to be able to carry out these regular tastings, then trust the professionals who do it for you.
John Euvrard For example, Best Sommelier Craftsman of France who works with us at Cavissimaputs all its expertise at the service of your cellars.
Indeed, he regularly tastes wines from our catalogue and concludes a range of optimal tasting years: [Best After - Best Before].

In conclusion, the definition of a wine for aging and its storage time remains complex... and subjective, moreover.
While some general characteristics stand out, each wine – even those from the same vineyard – has its own unique characteristics. château and from the same vintage - evolves in a unique way.
It is for this reason, and especially to avoid unpleasant surprises, that the bottles you wish to develop must be kept in optimal conditions.

Discover which wines to keep and how to recognize them in our second article dedicated to wines meant for aging. We will see later how does a wine evolve during aging...