Does wine get better with age?

Waiting does not benefit every wine

Most wine is sold ready to drink; some has already been aged at the winery. Longer ageing requires, among other things, enough flavour intensity and structure; acidity and, in some wines, tannin play a part. Fading fresh fruit does not always give way to appealing new character. A wine that is enjoyable when young is therefore not an inferior category.^[1]

When buying, ask how the producer recommends enjoying this particular wine. “What changes might I expect?” is more useful than simply asking how many years it will keep. If you especially enjoy its current aromas, there is no obligation to wait. A gift bottle does not automatically need to be saved for a distant milestone.

What changes inside the bottle?

Oxygen also plays a part in a wine’s development. It may already be present in the wine and its headspace at bottling, and can subsequently enter through the closure. Too much can cause premature oxidation, changing aromas and flavours. Conditions inside the bottle therefore matter as well as the number of years that have passed.^[2]

Mature wines may develop walnut, almond or honey notes, while some whites acquire a waxier or oilier mouthfeel. These are possible directions of development, not promises that apply to every bottle.^[1]

When comparing two vintages, first consider which set of aromas we enjoy more. Youthful fruit and mature complexity need not compete in one ranking. Nor should we automatically attribute every difference to age: tasting different vintages is an interesting comparison, but it is not a photograph of the same wine taken at two moments in time.

Storage is part of the story

Excessive heat can accelerate undesirable changes, and large temperature swings should also be avoided. Light can affect a wine’s condition too. For longer storage, look for a cool, stable environment away from light. An older bottle’s transport and storage history is also relevant when assessing it.^[3]

At home, assess the actual spot: does it become hot in summer, receive sunlight or occasionally sit next to a heater? Consider the whole year, not just today’s room temperature. If suitable conditions are unavailable, an earlier opening occasion makes sense. This gives us a more realistic plan for an unfamiliar bottle than a generic number of years.

What can the bottle tell you?

Tartrate crystals can form in wine; lower temperatures can, for example, encourage potassium hydrogen tartrate to precipitate. A visible crystal alone therefore does not establish that a wine is old or spoiled. Equally, not every unfamiliar deposit can be identified just by looking at it.^[4]

Begin serving with a small sample to assess the wine’s condition. If sediment is visible, plan a slow, careful pour. Make a separate decision about aeration: an older bottle need not spend a long time in a decanter simply because of its age. First follow the sample in the glass and judge whether its aromas and flavours become more enjoyable with air.

Make a deliberate opening plan

Do not search for a single “perfect” date. Choose an occasion when you can pay attention and record what you enjoyed. If you already own several identical bottles, the first can help inform your plans for the next. With only one bottle, this is still no exam: its enjoyment does not depend on hitting an imaginary peak.