January 25, 2002 Edibles » Corkscrew

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Aging Wine 

The Whens, Whys & Hows

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Remember the Paul Masson wine commercial from the '70s where the guy said, "We will sell no wine before its time"? Now I wasn't much of a wine connoisseur in grade school, so I had no idea what that slogan meant back then. Well it only took me 20 years to figure it out, so I'm here to share that sacred knowledge with you. It's about aging wine.

You see, some people think you can't just buy a bottle of wine and drink it as soon as you get home. They believe you should age it for years on end, until it's "ready" to drink. In the 70s commercial, Paul Masson spokesman Orson Welles was trying to assure jug-wine buyers that immediate guzzling is acceptable.

In keeping with this spirit, most producers today age their wines in the bottle for months or even years before selling them, so they're ready to drink as soon as they hit the shelves. In fact, 95 percent of wines purchased in the US are drunk within 24 hours.

Of course, there are certain wines that get better with age. But how can you tell which ones they are? How do you know when they're ready to drink? Why would you even bother? The answers to these questions are often vague and confusing, even for super-duper wine geeks, so bear with me.

THE MYSTERIES OF AGING

All wine changes over time, due to the co-mingling of components like acid, tannin, fruit and oxygen. Sometimes it gets better, sometimes worse.

For red wines, you're looking to soften tannins (the compound found in grape seeds and stems that makes your mouth feel dry), tone down fruit and add complexity. Over time, red wines will also lose color, changing from dark purple to brick red.

When whites age, they gain more richness, complexity and caramel flavors. Unlike reds, white wines gain color with age, going from pale straw to rich, golden yellow.

Some people enjoy the mature flavors that aging brings to wine, while others prefer to drink it young, fresh and fruity. "To Age or Not to Age" often hinges on personal taste.

GUIDELINES

Though it's sometimes hard to predict whether, or for how long, a wine will age, the following general guidelines will help steer you in the right direction.

* Start with a good quality vintage wine with balanced tannin, acid, fruit and body. Don't expect aging to turn a crappy wine into a good one.

* Wines like Bordeaux and Cabernet Sauvignon tend to age well because the tannins in the wine help slow oxidation (excessive exposure to oxygen). Red wines have more tannin than whites.

* Some wines should not be aged: Beaujolais Nouveau, Sauvignon Blanc, rosé and wines under $10.

* Age up to five years: Chianti, Chardonnay, "new world" Pinot Noir, basic Alsace whites.

* Age 5-10 years: better quality Bordeaux (red and white), Burgundy (red and white), Rhone wines, Alsace whites, Merlot.

* Age 10 years or more: Top Bordeaux, Rhone and Burgundy, late harvest/dessert wines (Sauternes), top-quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Sémillon.

* Your wine won't improve if you don't store it correctly. So it won't go bad, keep it somewhere dark, cool (55 degrees if possible), where there is a little bit of humidity, and little fluctuation in temperature.

WINES FOR AGING

There's only one way to find out if "good things come to those who wait." Buy a few bottles of primo vino, stash them away for a few years and check the results. According to Brad Lewis, Florida ABC Fine Wine & Spirits' Director of Fine Wines, these reasonably priced reds are built to last.

* Stonegate Cabernet Sauvignon ($25)

* Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel ($14)

* Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Les Jalets ($14)

* Antinori Chianti Classico Pepoli ($22)

* D'Arnberg The Footbolt Shiraz ($16)

Comments? Questions? Great wine experience to share? Talk to us! We'll feature your comments in our Mailbag. E-mail corkscrew@creativeloafing.com, mail to Corkscrew, 1310 E. Ninth Ave., Tampa, FL 33605 or call 1-800-341-LOAF.

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