I know people that have bought a bottle of wine when they got married or at the birth of a child with the thought of opening it 20 to 25 years later only to find out that it was horrible.
While some wines will age for decades and even a hundred years or more, most wines aren’t built to last. Depending on the source, between 95 and 99% of wines should be consumed within 5 – 7 years of bottling for reds and 2 – 3 years for whites. Even if you are fortunate enough to get your hands on an age-worthy bottle, if it’s not stored properly, it could be disappointing when it’s opened. By proper storage, I’m talking about between 50 – 60 degrees (10 – 15 degree C), in the dark and undisturbed for the duration.
Another thing to be wary of is something called Provenance. Provenance is the history of that particular bottle or case; what is the source, how was it shipped and how was it stored before it got to you. If you are interested in an older (expensive) bottle, only buy it from a reputable wine merchant that knows what they are talking about.
Sweet wines like Port, Sherry, Madeira and Sauternes last a long time, even after they’ve been opened. White wines with high acidity like Champagnes, Chablis, Rieslings, Chenin Blancs also age well. As for Reds, it is the usual cast of characters, Bordeaux based wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot), Burgundy (Pinot Noir), Piedmonte (Barolo, Barbaresco), and Red Zinfandel (California). All of these, if they are of the best quality and are stored properly, can last for decades. There are also some excellent age-worthy wines from California, Australia & parts unknown which I will cover in upcoming blogs.
Speaking of upcoming blogs, over the next month I’m going to be shopping the wines at Trader Joe’s. Their wines are well priced so that fits into our theme. I’ve already had a couple of people send me their TJ favorites so if you have one that you want to share, please drop me a note. Here’s the one I tried this week.
If you like oaky and buttery chardonnays, this one is from Southern France, it is $7 and I’d put it up against any of the popular buttery California Chards that cost twice as much.
Until next week, Love the wine you are with and stay safe everyone.
Featured Image by: Julia Volk PEXELS
SOMM Laguna 
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