Collection: Buy wines to lay down

What is an age-worthy wine?

An age-worthy wine is a wine that can be kept for several years in the cellar while improving over time. As wine is a living product, it continues to evolve after bottling thanks to minimal contact with oxygen, year after year through the cork.

While this matters little for most wines, since most cuvées on the market are meant to be drunk young, it is nevertheless possible to keep certain bottles for 10 years, 20 years, or even much longer to enjoy them at their peak.

What qualities must a wine have to age well?

Several inherent characteristics of wine are decisive for a bottle to improve over time. Here are the most important ones:

-Acidity: it structures the wines and is essential for their proper balance. It indeed gives depth during tasting as well as preserving a certain freshness and taste harmony. If a wine lacks acidity from its youth, it is certain that it will not evolve positively over the years.

-Tannins: this criterion is especially decisive for red wines. In their youth, some wines have powerful tannins and can sometimes be difficult to approach. Nevertheless, these are very important in terms of structure and have a role as an antioxidant, allowing your bottles to be kept longer in the cellar. Over time, the tannins soften and round out, making the wine more pleasant than in its early youth.

-Sugar: a high level of sweetness allows for better preservation of wines as it also plays a role as an antioxidant. Thus, Sauternes, sweet Vouvray or even the Vins Doux Naturels from Maury naturally keep longer than classic dry white wines.

-Aging: a key element in the aromatic profile of the wine, aging also plays an important role in its preservation. Indeed, age-worthy wines often undergo aging in oak barrels. Why? Wood being a porous material, very controlled oxygenation occurs during the aging phase, getting the wine used from the start to the element that makes it age: oxygen. Aging in oak barrels can therefore be beneficial (although not absolutely necessary) in order to create age-worthy cuvées.

-Aromas: if a wine has weak aromatics in its youth, there is almost no chance that it will persist or gain in complexity over time. It is therefore essential for a wine to be at least somewhat expressive on the palate.

-Grape variety: some grape varieties are well known for allowing the production of age-worthy wines. Notably, we can mention Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc in Bordeaux, Syrah in the Rhône Valley or Tempranillo in the famous Spanish appellations Rioja and Ribera del Duero. On the white side, Chardonnay, Chenin or Riesling can also create superb age-worthy wines.

Finally, other important criteria such as terroir, vintage and above all storage conditions play a key role in the wine's aging potential.

How does wine evolve as it ages?

With age, the structure of the wine (alcohol, sugar, acidity, tannins, aromas) evolves. Nevertheless, it is difficult to define a common and general evolution for wines since each bottle is different. However, some common aging characteristics do exist.

Thus, for red wines, the color will generally turn garnet while the tannins will mellow, giving better drinkability. Tertiary aromas (due to the wine's evolution in the bottle) will also appear: leather, humus, undergrowth, or even truffle are common markers of old red wines.

For white wines, the color will evolve towards orange while the acidity will tend to decrease. From an aromatic point of view, it is common for notes of honey and dried fruits to appear.

For sweet wines, the sugar and alcohol will gradually integrate better. Thus, after a decade or more of aging, some cuvées may show surprising balances of freshness. The initially present fruity notes will tend to fade in favor of aromas of dried fruits, butter, and honey.

Finally, it should be noted that some champagnes (mainly vintage ones) also keep beautifully. Their fruity character will also tend to disappear over the years, giving way to a chalky minerality as well as notes of dried fruits and autolysis (toasted bread, butter, etc.).

What are the best storage conditions for wine?

Three key factors are essential to keep your bottles in the best possible conditions:

-Humidity: it is very important to maintain the elasticity of the corks made of cork. These are what protect your wines from oxidation! Thus, humidity between 70% and 80% will be ideal. Below this range, the corks risk drying out over the years and your precious nectars oxidizing. If your room is more humid, it will not be harmful to your wines but be careful with the labels (mold)! In this case, you can protect them with a simple cling film.

-Temperature: wine does not like temperature fluctuations at all! A stable temperature between 12 and 14°C is ideal. Beyond this range, the wine will age more quickly. Below, your cuvées will evolve more slowly. Also, generally, if your room temperature varies between 10° and 18°C, don't worry, this will have little effect on the quality of the wine. Beyond that, it will be a problem for bottles you keep for several years (especially whites and rosés).

-Light : natural or artificial, it is the enemy of wine. Choose a dark place and avoid long storage in the kitchen or a living room.

Moreover, other factors are also important for storing wine such as good air circulation or the absence of vibrations and odors. Remember that wine likes calm and rest, so be careful with household appliances, cars, etc.

Finally, it is also essential to store your bottles in a horizontal position so that the corks are in constant contact with the liquid. This way, they will always be moistened, preventing oxygen from entering the bottles in excessive amounts.

You now know everything about age-worthy wines! All you have to do now is make your choice from this beautiful selection! If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact La Cave Éclairée  !