5 Tips to Know How Long to Age Your Wines
In November 2009, my dad and I attended our first Champagne Tasting at the University Club of Portland. We had a dazzling night trying dozens of champagnes with new friends. At the end of the night, my dad and I decided to split two cases of Bollinger, which was our favorite of the evening by far and a splurge for us. Over the years, we opened a few bottles together with great delight, but more often, I was waiting for an occasion special enough to break one out. By 2018, those wines had seen their prime so the five bottles I had left weren’t worth sharing. Here’s the point: saving a wine for the right time can create magic, but holding it too long is heartbreaking. Here are five tips to know how long to age your wines:
1) Know the Varietal’s Aging Potential: As backdrop, the main characteristics that determine a wine’s aging potential are its alcohol level, acidity, and tannin profile. Generally speaking, lower alcohol wines with higher acidity and tannin complexity will age nicely, whereas higher alcohol wines with lower acidity and little tannin are unlikely to do so. Some varietals (e.g., Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rhone blends, Nebbiolo) simply have more aging potential than others (e.g., Rosé, Beaujolais) based on their relative alcohol, acidity, and tannin levels. Region matters, too. A Pinot Noir from the cooler climate Willamette Valley is more likely to have lower alcohol and higher acidity than one from the warmer climate Santa Lucia Highlands.
2) Know the Vintage: I characterize vintages into warm vs. cool. In warm vintages, sunny conditions are likely to lead to higher alcohol levels and lower acidity. In cool vintages, less sunshine is likely to lead to lower alcohol levels and higher acidity. In short, cool vintages are apt to have a longer lifespan.
3) Know the Winemaking Style: Ask the winemaker or representative for their assessment. Did they age it in a fair amount of new oak, which can contribute to tannin structure? Some wineries may have a cheat sheet like I do for our Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs on our blog.
4) Know the Storage Conditions: Have you stored your wine at an even temperature (ideally around 52-60 degrees Fahrenheit) and out of sunlight? Then it will age better, whereas wine stored in sunlight or erratic temperatures may experience wear.
5) Know Your Goal: Most importantly, what is your goal in aging the wine? Is it to enjoy a wine from a child’s birth year on a milestone birthday? Is it to celebrate an anniversary from a marriage year? Is it to save to drink with a parent or special friend from far away? If you want to share it with someone meaningful at the right time, I believe this trumps #1-4. As long as you will enjoy sharing it and it meets your personal objective, that is all that matters. Who cares if it could have been better in two more years or would have been better three years ago? As we say in the Et Fille Ethic, “We believe that being true to place and time allows wine to simultaneously honor history, the present, and future.” That means that not only did each wine come from a never replicated time and place, but so too is it enjoyed. It has the potential to be the perfect time for you, so enjoy it and don’t question how it could have been better.