Collection: Buy wines to lay down

What is an aging wine?

A wine to lay down is a cuvée that can be stored for many years in a cellar while improving. As wine is a living product, it indeed continues to evolve after bottling thanks to minimal contact with oxygen, occurring year after year through the cork. 

While this matters little for the vast majority of wines, given that most vintages on the market are intended to be consumed in their youth, it is nevertheless possible to keep certain bottles for 10 years, 20 years, and sometimes much longer to enjoy them at their peak.

What qualities must a wine have to age well?

Several inherent characteristics of the wine are crucial 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. This indeed allows for giving depth in tasting as well as preserving a certain freshness and gustatory harmony. If a wine suffers from a lack of acidity from its youth, it is certain that it will not evolve positively over the years.

-The tannins: this criterion is especially crucial for red wines. In their youth, some wines have powerful tannins and can sometimes be difficult to grasp. Nevertheless, these are very important in terms of structure and have an  antioxidant role, allowing your bottles to be stored 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 an antioxidant role. Thus, sweet Sauternes, Vouvray or even Vins Doux Naturels from Maury can naturally be kept longer than classic wines.

-Aging: a key element in the aromatic profile of the wine, aging also plays an important role in its proper preservation. Indeed, age-worthy wines often undergo aging in oak barrels . Why? Since wood is a porous material, a very controlled oxygenation occurs during the aging phase, accustoming the wine from the start to the element that makes it age: oxygen. Aging in oak barrels can therefore be beneficial (although not absolutely necessary) with the aim of creating age-worthy vintages.

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

-The grape variety: certain grape varieties are well known for enabling the production of wines for aging.We can notably mention the Cabernet Sauvignon  or Cabernet Franc in  Bordeaux, Syrah in the  Rhône Valley or Tempranillo within the famous Spanish appellations Rioja and Ribera del Duero. On the white side, Chardonnay, Chenin or Riesling can also create sublime wines for aging.

Finally, other important criteria such as the terroir, the vintage and especially the storage conditions play a key role in the good aging potential of wines.

How does wine evolve as it ages?

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

Thus, for red wines, the colors will generally become garnet while the tannins will soften, providing 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 colors 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 vintages may exhibit 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 age 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 good storage conditions for wine?

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

-Humidity : it is very important to maintain the elasticity of the corks made of cork. Indeed, it is these that preserve your wines from oxidation! Thus, humidity levels ranging from 70% to 80% will be ideal. Below this range, the corks may dry out over the years and your precious nectars may oxidize. 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 stretch film.

-Temperature: wine does not appreciate thermal variations at all. A stable temperature oscillating between 12 and 14°C is ideal. Beyond this range, the aging of the wine will be accelerated. Below, your vintages will evolve more slowly. Moreover, if the temperature of your room varies between 10° and 18°C, don't panic, it will have little effect on the quality of the wine. Beyond that, it will pose a problem for the bottles you keep for several years (particularly whites and rosés).

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

Furthermore, other factors are also important to preserve the wine, such as good air circulation or even the absence of vibrations and odors. Remember that wine loves calm and rest, so be mindful of household appliances, cars, etc.

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

You now know everything about aging wines! All that remains is for you to make your choice from our fine selection. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact directly La Cave Éclairée!