04/10/07 Aging Wine

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and today we are going to take a look at aging or "laying down" your wines. Understanding why you would have a wine cellar, or closet or cooler or some space devoted to aging wine is not for everyone, and not all wines are meant to be aged. For a select group of wines aging can add complexity and a change in aroma, it can even smooth the wine out - the tannins dissipate and are not so astringent. They will actually be more balanced and pleasant to drink. However, we are talking big wines like Italian Barolo and Barbaresco as well as French Bordeaux and Burgundy and high end California or Washington Cabernet Sauvignon. Most white wine, unless it is a vintage Champagne or a late harvest Riesling, won't really improve with lengthy aging. But not everyone cares about that. The truth is most wine is drunk within two hours of its purchase. The majority of the wine produced today is made to be approachable, meaning drinkable, when it is released. These big fruity luscious red wines, which are the current trend, most likely will not benefit from aging. These are wines such as many popular Australian and South American wines as well as commercial wines from the Pacific Northwest and California such as Shiraz, Zinfandel, Merlots and some of the less expensive Cabernets. Do not bother to keep these wines  don't wait just open them and enjoy them while they are at their best. 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.