How long can a bottle of wine be kept in storage, and when will it be ready to be consumed?
What factors have the most impact on how long wine can be stored?
There are a lot of nuances to consider when it comes to wine storage and potential. The type of grapes used, the region in which they were grown, the year they were harvested, and, last but not least, the winemaker all play significant roles in determining the potential of a given wine. In this piece, we will make the assumption that all wines have been cellared in ideal conditions, which include complete darkness, a temperature of approximately 13 degrees Celsius, and a humidity level of approximately 70 percent.
For a wine to develop its full flavor and complexity over time, it needs to contain certain elements that encourage its own preservation. Alcohol, sugar, acidity, and tannin are the obvious components that contribute to the preservation of wine.
Regrettably, it is not so easy that one can simply measure each of the four components and then draw a conclusion based on those results. Quite frequently, a few unimportant factors can become relevant, most notably the intangible component known as balance.
Throughout the course of winemaking history, red wine from Bordeaux has been regarded as a classic wine to age. Because the quantity of dry tannin in older vintages was so high, the wines could not be enjoyed until they had been aged for at least ten years before drinking them. Because modern vinification techniques are superior and more in control, the tannin structure of wines is significantly more supple, and as a result, they can be enjoyed much sooner. The very first cabernet sauvignon wines to come out of California were unrecognizably different from the Bordeaux wines that had been historically produced. When a top producer named Robert Mondavi was asked about the longevity of his wines based on the Cabernet Sauvignon produced in Napa Valley, he responded by saying: “They can last a long time.”
“If there is harmony in the wine from the very beginning, then the wine will mature into a beautiful expression over time.”
The passage of time has proven that he was correct! Even without the use of the dry tannins as a preservative, versions of these wines that are thirty years old or older now have excellent flavor.
The progression of wine’s development over time
Each wine has its own distinctive evolution profile, which is founded on the combination of the aforementioned factors. If we are to generalize, we can say that the majority of wines have a pleasant flavor right after they are released onto the market. Big wines have a tendency to “shut down,” at which point the fruit takes on a more negative appearance. During this time, the wines will frequently have an expression that is dry and uninterestingly flat.
On the other hand, great wines are making a comeback, and they have a lot of positive notes. As the fruit matures, the wine opens up and, as the saying goes, finds its equilibrium. From this point on, it will become accessible and eventually reach the plateau. The wine will remain at the same level of quality throughout the plateau, but the various components will have reached a state of equilibrium. In this location, the wine can age for a few years or for many years.
In due time, the wine’s level will begin to gradually decrease once more. Before it finally sinks to the bottom and transforms into wine vinegar, which is the final stage of wine production, it first loses its vitality and becomes lifeless. This is the stage at which all wines arrive.
What does the stage of development of the wine mean in terms of the potential return on investment?
You will find that the price of most good wines goes up as the wine ages, and this trend is consistent across the board. Prices for good wines that have a longer potential for storage will almost always be higher than prices for wines that have less potential for storage. Be especially aware that for the first two years after the release, there will be only a slight increase, if any increase at all. This is something you should keep in mind.
After a period of a few years during which there are no significant price increases, you will begin to notice that the price of the wine is increasing in tandem with the growing interest in it. When it comes to the majority of wines that are suitable for investment, you will notice that the greater the interest and consequently the demand, which causes the price to rise, the closer you get to the plateau of the wine, also known as the drinking window.
When it comes to wines like the majority of the top wines from Burgundy, for instance, where there is high demand but a relatively low production rate, you will discover that the price goes up in tandem with the diminishing availability of the small quantities on the market.
Even if a wine has been aged for a significant amount of time and is now getting close to the end of its drinking window, one should not be afraid to invest in it. At that time, the wine will typically be so scarce on the market that it is difficult to acquire; as a result, it will most likely maintain the price that it currently carries.
Even after the best time to drink the wine has passed and the quality has started to go down, the wine will still be very interesting, especially to collectors. On some wines, the value of affection and the fact that it is so rare can cause the price to rise even when the contents of the bottle are no longer of peak quality. This can be the case even if the wine has been aged for decades.
