Aging and Wine, does Aging Longer mean a better Tasting Wine?

Hattiesburg, MS

It is the age-old question when it comes to wine! “Does aging wine longer mean it will taste better?” The aging process helps create flavors, and textures we wouldn’t have experienced had the wine not undergone aging. However, the truth is that not all wine can be aged. Wines achieve their moment of perfect taste at different times—and sometimes that moment simply passes, and the wine turns bitter and old. Your Hattiesburg wine experts at Lincoln Road Package Store have some tips for the best ways for you to enjoy your wine and how to best age it.

History of wine aging

One hundred years ago almost no new oak barrels were used to age wine before bottling. This means that the best wines from Bordeaux took decades before the tannins were soft enough to allow for a great wine-tasting experience. The wines were too hard to drink in their youth.  In the same region today, most top wine producers use 100% new French oak barrels in the aging process. Grapes are picked at more ripe ages, and the skins and tannins are softer, and this gives a softer, rounder feel to the wine. This allows less aging of fine wines.

The best time to open a bottle

According to AARP, 95% of wines on shelves right now are ready to drink. The truth is that only 1% of all the wine produced in the world is meant to be aged. This is probably why drinking an aged wine is romanticized to such a great extent, because very few bottles in the world actually benefit from, and can handle, sitting around for such a long time. Most wines are best enjoyed now, right after you bring them home. A good rule of thumb is that wine priced under $30 should be opened and consumed right away for up to 5 years after it is bought. Even wines that are more than $30 are good for 5 years before they begin to deteriorate. That way you won’t open the wine too soon or wait too late to open it. Premium wines (very expensive) can be aged for longer than 5 years. To find out when you should open and drink your wine in Hattiesburg, ask at the professionals at Lincoln Road Package Store. We can help you with all the wine information you need.

Keys to aging wine

If your wine can be aged, we have some tips to doing so optimally. First, keep wine stored in a dark, cool place away from sunlight. Next, the best temperature to store it is between 55-65 degrees. Third, make sure that the humidity stays around 70 degrees. After that, make sure to place the bottles on their sides and spin them at regular intervals to keep the cork evenly moistened. Finally, in order to age correctly, be patient and let the experts at the Lincoln Rd Package store advise you every step of the aging wine process. When you need our help, please contact us by calling (601) 268-3677. Lincoln Road Package Store proudly serves the Hattiesburg, Ms Area.