Long Term Storage

There is a variety of wine to suit almost anyone’s taste and budget. From Big Reds to Light and Fruity Blush’s and Ports to Champagnes. Some are designed to be chilled and some should be served at room temperature. Some wines, predominately white’s, are best when the wine is still young, as white wine is not as robust as their red cousin, and usually there is no taste advantage to aging a white as you would a red. The storage length of wines, whether they are a red or white, depends on the grape region, the vintage and the wine producer. Most white wines as a rule, if properly stored, should be tasteful up to eight to ten years from the vintage date but the taste between one that has been stored for four years and eight years may not be discernable. Blush wines can last up to three years from the vintage date. Red wines, particularly Bordeaux and Cabernet could still be an excellent wine after 50 years of storage, if properly stored. Again, the key, as mentioned before, is to store your wine in a well-ventilated, clean, cool, dark, calm area with moderate humidity. To summarize: 

 

·        Reds wines are the ideal wine for long-term storage, to save for that anniversary, honeymoon, graduation, etc. Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux are big robust reds, complex and full of flavor. Stored properly they can last several years. Many people will buy a case and open a bottle or two over a period of several months or years to note the changes the wine has made during the aging process. Most people agree that red wine should be stored at a temperature of 45-55 degrees F with the humidity no lower than 50%. 70% humidity would be ideal.   

 

·        White wine is usually produced to drink while it is young. A bottle of white wine found after hiding three or four months in your refrigerator should still be tasteful, but for long-term storage follow the guidelines previously mentioned. Try to enjoy your white wine within four years of the vintage date.