Claudio Ponte
A few years ago I wrote an article titled “What are you saving it for?” I made the point that since our wine is ready to drink when we release it, it might as well be enjoyed now. To me, nothing says seize the day better than opening a good bottle of wine just because. But if aging wine is a pastime for you, we feel you will be best rewarded if you have a plan.
First, let’s decide which wines will surely benefit from aging. Forget about aging the Cousin wines, Juliet, Ariana and Isabel. These are to be enjoyed while they are fresh and fruity. As for our other whites, we recommend aging the Chardonnay and Viognier up to 2 years, and drinking the Torrontés, Pinot Grigio and the Moscato immediately. As for our reds, like the Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo – age them 2 years and then test. What about our popular Beverino? Drink it, share it and have fun! The bigger reds like Super T, Meritage and Malbec can age 5 or more years and will probably peak at 7 to 10 years but, honestly, who wants to wait that long.
The second thing to consider is the quantity of wine you have on hand. Unless you have a full case, don’t bother to age the wine as it will only cause frustration. Think about it, if you have two bottles, age them and open one to find it could use more time, how much longer do you wait? But if you have a case, and a way to store it properly, you can “test” (OK, drink) a bottle each year.
If it tastes a bit rough or young, finish the bottle and age the remainder another year, then repeat the process.
If the wine tastes thin, flat, or just old, consider the wine “over the hill”. You waited too long or stored it in that cute rack on top of the fridge (you know who you are), and the last three Santa Anas cooked it. Finish the case if you can or give the wine to a brother-in-law who can’t tell the difference. For goodness sake, don’t cook with it!
If the wine tastes smooth, complex and delicious, with balance between fruit and other pleasant flavors, then you are good to go.
This is from my past article and it still holds true today: “Age a whole case, drink a bottle a year, and if you are lucky, you’ll get to drink six or eight bottles at their peak. Have a bunch of friends and family over, cook up a great meal, and have fun finishing the case.”
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