Time in the Bottle - The Aging Process
Time in the Bottle - The Aging Process
The age-old question - When should I drink the wine? Every wine has a life cycle - the optimal point in time for consumption is called “peak” and wines that have aged too long are considered, “dead”. Many wines in today’s market are meant to be consumed young. When is a wine considered age worthy?
Age worthy wines are noted for their ability to develop delicious characteristics not present in youth. As wine ages in the bottle a slow chemical process occurs, as molecules combine and become too heavy to remain in suspension, settling to the bottom of the bottle creating sediment. Age worthy red wines will contain a high level of tannin when they are bottled from contact with the grape skins and oak. These tannins help preserve the wine, but over time attach themselves to chemicals in the wine and settle out. Because of this, tannin is known as a finning agent. When young, wines with high amounts of tannin taste bitter (similar to strong black tea). Aging will smooth or mellow-out the sharp/harsh components as the tannin level drops.
Age worthy wines need good structure with balanced elements of acid and fruit. If either acid or fruit is lacking, aging will diminish the vibrancy and complementary elements of the wine. When aging reds think of a triangle with each apex hosting the three components of acid, fruit and tannin creating a balanced triad.
Aging dry white wines is a bit riskier than aging reds as white wines do not possess much of the preservative agent, tannin. White wines that have high acidity or have had significant contact with oxygen, as those that are aged in wooden barrels, will tend to be more stable over time. Wines that contain residual sugar are better suited for aging. The longer you keep a wine that contains “RS” (residual sugar) the sweeter it will become. The great dessert wines: Sauternes, Tokaji, and Aszú will age for decades.
No time to age…buying wine to drink tonight? The vast majority of wine is drunk within 24 hours of purchase. Winemakers are catering to sales and producing many wines that are drinkable as soon as they are released. However, some wines do approve with age, especially red wines. How can we get the most out of full-bodied reds (Cabernet Sauvignon for example) when we grab them off the shelf to drink tonight? A useful and easy process is to allow a wine to breath, mimicking one of the effects of aging, oxidation. Young wines can benefit from rapid aeration, which exposes the components of the wine to oxygen. The result is an opening up of the wine’s character.
The effect can be dramatic and enhance your enjoyment of the wine. The process is simple. Uncork the bottle and transfer the wine into a container that is larger than the wine bottle allowing the wine to splash and gurgle as you pour into the container. Just popping the cork does not create a significant oxygen exchange. Allow the wine to “breath” for 15 minutes to several hours. Do not confuse this process with decanting, which is a bit different and used for older wines to separate sediment from the bottle. So, breathe and enjoy!
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