There is a lot of romance behind aging a bottle of wine.
Many of us have thought about buying one on a special occasion and saving it for a big anniversary.
The truth is not all wines are made equal. While some varietals can age well, others deteriorate over time.
Keep reading to learn which types of wine are worth saving.
Characteristics of Well-Aging Wine
The following wines share some characteristics that help them age over time. These are the features you'll want to keep in mind when making your purchase.
Wines that are acidic and high in tannins are a safe bet. Acidity mellows over time, so choosing a bottle that can afford to settle down without losing its bite is important.
Tannins, the element that gives a wine its astringency and texture, will also smooth out, so you want something strong enough that won't lose its character.
Typically, a good wine from a reliable winery is a safer bet than a cheap, off-the-shelf bottle. High-quality grapes can be expected to last longer than something made from a concentrate.
Finally, storage plays the biggest role. Keeping the wine at the proper temperature, level of humidity, and away from sunlight will have the biggest impact on how the wine ages.
Here are the best types of wine to age.
Short-Term (0-5 Years)
Beaujolais
A Beaujolais is a perfect wine for short-term storage. It's a light-bodied red with low tannins but high-acidity. Letting one of these sit on the shelf for just a few years helps mellow the acidity without losing the texture.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a white wine made from green-skinned grapes. It's another light-bodied, yet high-acid wine that will keep for up to five years before losing its body.
Medium-Term (5-15 Years)
Cabernet Sauvignon
One of the most popular red-grape varietals, the Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied, high-tannin and high-acid wine, perfect for the cellar.
Sauternes
This white wine from the French-region of Bordeaux is made from grapes affected by a fungal infection colloquially known as noble rot. This rot creates a unique and robust flavor that, while initially strong, benefits from smoothing out over a few years.
Long-Term (20+)
Bordeaux
A catchall term for any wine coming from this renowned region of France, a red Bordeaux can be exactly what you want from an aged wine.
A red from a quality vineyard will have that combination of full-bodied, flavor, high tannins, and acidity to allow it to settle with age perfectly.
Vintage Port
A fortified wine from Portugal, ports come in many different varieties. However, for aging, you are going to want to stick with the principles laid out above and choose full-bodied reds with high-tannins and high-acid.
Final Thoughts on Types of Wine for Aging
Good wine is like good art: if you like it, it's good.
That being said, not all wine is right for aging. If you're looking to grow a cellar and want a few bottles that can age to maturity, the above guide will let you know which types of wine to buy.
If you have any other questions or need some recommendations, let us know. We're always here to help.
Autry Cellars is proud to be one of the smallest boutique wineries on the Central Coast. Autry Cellars begins with carefully selected grapes grown in the highly-prized Paso Robles and Edna Valley appellations along California’s stunning Central Coast.
