What Makes Wine Age-Worthy? A Guide (Part 1)

Aging wine can be a long process, but it can create truly unique flavors and one-of-a-kind vintages. However, unless you’re a sommelier or a wine expert, the aging process can often seem like somewhat of a mystery. Why do some wines grow better with age while others don’t? The team from Rollers Wine & Spirits is here to help answer your questions with our first installment on aging wine and what makes a wine “age-worthy.”

The Process of Aging Wine

One of the most important processes of aging your wine correctly is having the right type of storage to ensure it remains safe from air exposure and oxidation. It doesn’t matter if you’re a personal collector of rare vintages or opening a new winery, without the proper storage, your wine won’t age properly nor reach its full potential.

Many sommeliers, connoisseurs, and winery owners base their aging process on Coates’ Law of Maturity. Clive Coates, one of today’s leading authorities on wine, states that a wine will remain at its peak for the duration of time it takes for the wine to reach its highest quality. It may sound a bit confusing but essentially, it means that however many years it takes for a particular wine reach its best, that’s how many years you have to drink it.

What Are Some of the Best Wines to Age?

If you’re wondering what some of the best wines to age are, there are a number of them that stand the test of time and will grow better and more flavorful over time, the most common being reds and whites. When it comes to red wine, the varieties that are often highly sought include Syrah, malbec, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and port. Although white wine isn’t often the first type of wine that comes to mind when talking about aged wines, there are some varieties that boast a firmer structure optimal for aging such as Rieslings, Chardonnays, Sauternes, Bordeaux, and a few others. There are four main factors that you’ll want to generally keep in mind when deciding to age a wine, and how long to age it.  

Structure (HELLOOO TANNINS)

Tannins come from the skin of the grapes and act a structural component in the wine. The higher the tannins, the better the wine will age. Red wines usually have a higher tannin structure than white wines, but that’s not the only thing to consider when aging a wine (keep reading!)

Alcohol Content (it’s a hot one)

In wines that aren’t fortified, alcohol is actually volatile and will cause your wine to turn to vinegar more quickly, yuck! That being said, you want to keep your wines around 13.5% ABV or less, so steer clear of those 15-20% Zinfandels and bourbon barrel aged Cabernets when considering aging.

Acidity (bright & fresh)

As wine ages it tends to lose its “zing” and can go flat as the acid level drops slowly over time. No one likes a flabby wine, so, the more acid the wine has to start, the better!

Sweetness (Residual Sugar)

We always hear about people stocking their wine cellars with those highly sought after reds, and by all means, our cellar has its fair share of those too…but oftentimes this category is overlooked. Wines that have THE LONGEST aging ability are sweet wines! Sauternes, Riesling, Vouvray, Gewürztraminer, Port, and Sherry.

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Rollers Wine & Spirits carries all of today’s leading vintages from around the world. If you want to begin your collection and start aging wine, visit one of our locations or call (843) 842-1200. Be sure to check back for Part 2 of our series on aging wine!