The long and unsatisfying answer to "How Long Should I Age This Wine for?"
Besides "Do you step on the grapes?" the question winemakers are most often asked is, "How long should I age this wine?"
Behind the inquiry is the expectation that there is a simple, clean answer, such as "3-5 years." Many wine professionals offer objective answers based on what they know about how various varieties, vintages, and vineyards are likely to evolve. They assume that the answer to that question is a property inherent to the wine. This is a very narrow context that ignores the role of the taster and their preferences in determining how long a wine "should" age.
Most wine consumers have at least a rudimentary understanding of the grape varieties they prefer thier wines to be made from. Some may have identified stylistic preferences such as "dry" Rieslings or "barrel fermented" Chardonnay. Fewer still may have a regional awareness of their preferences, such as a "Willamette Valley" Pinot Noir over one from the Russian River. The appreciation of the nuances of the growing season is perhaps the most rare, with some consumers seeking out classic vintages or rejecting those thought inferior.
“The most crucial consideration in determining how long a wine should be aged is the preference of the future taster. ”
If the answer to the best grape, style, region, or vintage is "it depends," why wouldn't that be an acceptable answer to the question of how long a wine should be aged?
While it is true that the grape, region, and vintage, as well as the conditions under which the wine will be stored, all impact how a wine might age, none of the considerations are relevant to how long a wine should be aged.
The most crucial consideration in determining how long a wine should be aged is the preference of the future taster.
Wines continuously change over time. Whether these changes improve or decline the quality of the wine is a matter of taste preference.
Some people feel the fresh, energetic, and vibrant nature of a young wine is preferable to one that has seen some age. Others might like wines where the fruits are no longer fresh and fungal, earthy, and spicy flavors and aromas dominate. Still, others might like their wines to be somewhere in between.
How long one should age a wine is a function of where on the continuum of young to aged those who will drink it like their wines. This variable most influences how long a wine should be aged.
Do you know where you like your wines to be on the continuum of aging? At PROJECT M, we propose two axes to consider when developing and understanding your preferences for aged wine.
Flavor is the first axis.
Young wines typically express fresh fruit flavors like those you might experience when you bite into a berry or pear. As wines age, these fruit flavors often move into a spectrum of flavors that suggest dried or cooked fruits. They become less fresh.
At the same time, non-fruit flavors begin to increase. Though a young wine may express earthy and spicy notes, these tend to increase with age and become more dominant than fruit flavors as wine ages.
So think about the flavors of the foods you like to eat. For instance, Do you prefer the fresh zing of lemon curd over the muted and complex flavors of lemon marmalade? Would you like freshly sliced green apple or lightly spiced apple pie? Are you seduced by fresh cherries or plums but tend to avoid dried cherries or prunes? These preferences give you an idea of your preferred continuum of fruit flavors.
Do you love potatoes, beets, and mushrooms, or avoid them at all costs? How do you feel about licorice and cinnamon? Thinking about your preferences for earthy foods and spices can suggest your tolerance for non-fruit flavors.
Texture is the Second Axis.
Age affects how a wine feels and moves in the mouth. A young wine is freshly acidic, causing salivation. Age also affects how tannins are perceived. The tannins of young wines can be brashly firm or coarse. With some age, they tend to become more round, soft, and smooth. Aged further, they can become drying and perhaps bitter.
Consider how you feel about acidity. Do you like vibrant, racy wines or those that have mellowed a bit more? Do you like wines with textures like leather, suede, or lace, or do you prefer satin and silk?
Considering where on the aging continuum your flavor and textural preferences are can help you make the answer to "how long should I age this wine" useful.