| taste as a guide,
not somebody else's ratings. Although great wines usually reach
their peak after some aging, wine
made in a style you don't like will never win your affection. Always
taste or try a bottle before you buy in quantity. If you own only
one bottle that you're excited about drinking someday, you have a cellar.
But multiple bottles of a single wine allow you to check in on it
periodically, which is at least half the fun. The most desirable cellar
wines are usually hard to get, and they grow even rarer as time goes on.
The best time to strike is at release. |
Choose
wines that will improve with age isn't the no-brainer that it might seem.
Lots of people think that if a little age is good, a lot of age must
be great. Not necessarily, some varieties: Gamay, Dolcetto, Grignolino,
as well as light red wines and most whites, are best consumed within a year
or two of release, beyond which they grow increasingly flat and dull. Which
wines to buy for the long haul?
Red
Wine - That's the color scheme of most great cellars because biochemistry
(specifically, tannin) dictates that red wines respond best to aging. Among
those that aficionados commonly collect are Cabernet Sauvignon ,
Merlot ,
French Bordeaux and Burgundy, Syrah/Shiraz ,
and Nebbiolo (Italian Barolo). Some French Rhone wines, American Pinot
Noir, Australian Shiraz  ,
California Zinfandel ,
and Sangiovese (specifically Brunello di Montalcino ) can also
improve with time, depending on how they're made. If you're not sure
whether a wine will age, buy an older one of the same type from the same
producer, see if it suits your fancy before you invest in a whole case.
White
Wine - Aging white wines is a more delicate and personal process
than laying down sturdy reds. Among the most cellar worthy whites
are Chardonnay
(particularly French Burgundy ), Loire Chenin Blanc (high acidity promotes
longevity), German Riesling, Australian Semillon from Hunter Valley, and
botrytized sweet wines such as Sauternes.
Keep your Balance - Tannins are a key to aging red wines, but if they
outlast fruit flavors, chances are a wine won't wear well. Tannins
provide structure but diminish over time. They precipitate out
in the form of sediment, so harsh and astringent young wines can eventually
become soft and velvety. But a wine that starts with too much tannin
will probably never come around. Most wines that age well will taste
balanced even when young, but there are exceptions. "Young Barolo tastes
like paint thinner" it feels like it's eating away your tooth enamel,
but with age the tannins soften, the acidity becomes integrated, and the
wine develops beautiful nuances of leather, spice, mushroom, and tar.
Expect what you Pay for - As a sweeping rule, wines that cost less
then $10 probably won't age very well, while wines that cost $10-20 will
probably improve for only a few years. If a wine costs more than $20,
the chances of its improving with age increase dramatically.
Study Up - Read the wine press; browse the Web; join a wine club.
Learn to recognize the names of well-regarded wineries in proven regions
or microclimates, and keep abreast of acclaimed vintage years. |
