Aging White Wines

Aging White Wines

Welcome to vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. I am one of those wine drinkers who appreciate German Rieslings, and know they are amongst the most age-worthy wines in the world. These wines actually improve with decades of bottle age. Today let’s talk about what makes a white wine age-worthy.

Sweeter white wines with crisp acidity are able to maintain character and evolve into truly lovely examples of what a white wine is capable of with time. For example German and Alsace Riesling grapes have a high level of acidity and often impressive mineral quality that when combine with its low rate of oxidation make white wine capable of aging for extended periods of time. Please understand these are not syrupy sweet wines these are wines with beautiful fruit and enough sweetness to balance the acidity and contribute to longevity. The layers of flavor and the nuance that comes to the wines as they age are complex and seductive. Other white wines which age well are similar in characteristics. Wines such as Sauternes, high end Vouvray, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc blends. I have had a California Chardonnay that was 12 years old up against a Puligny Montrachet of the same vintage, both of which were elegant and creamy with a toasty quality that I believe came with age. Limiting the aging portion of your wine collection to red wines is unnecessary. Stretch out and drop a few white wines in there – you won’t be disappointed. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today’s Vine to Wine.

Previous ReportWines for a New Baby
Next ReportPetit Verdot