How long should i age my wine

For example, acidic wines will last longer, as they lose acidity during the aging process. When it comes to aging, red wines are quite flexible. Certain types can be aged for just three to five years, while others can remain in a cellar for decades. Additionally, some bottles have already been aged before you even find them in stores. A few terms to keep an eye out for that indicate an aged wine are Reserva, Riserva, and Gran Reserva.

Similar to red wines, white varietals can age from one year to several decades. Keep in mind that bottles with higher acidities and sugar levels can be aged longer. Many varietals, including Madeira and Sauternes , can last several decades. Wine stored at 73 degrees F would age about twice as fast as that stored at 55 degrees F. So, if you are impatient or are aging yourself, you might want to store your wine at a higher temperature so it can be enjoyed sooner. Also, light can catalyze chemical reactions in wine, causing browning and undesirable flavors.

This is why red wine bottles are dark tinted and Chardonnay bottles yellowish. Obviously, light causes the bad kind of aging, so store your wine away from bright areas unless you expect to consume it very soon. You may have noticed that some wine comes in clear bottles. Martha Stoumen , whose namesake wine label is based in Northern California, released her first vintage in Different wines have different shapes and curves, if you can picture it. Our wines taste good now, but that will be better in three years, and even better in five.

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Share this story Twitter Facebook. This little trick will give you a good indication of how long your wine may have before it loses its magic. All you need is a glass, pen and paper, and a fridge—not too difficult, right? When you find a wine you really like, you often buy quite a few bottles of it.