BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Wine The Challenge of Aging Wine

Wine can improve with aging, but will go bad if in contact with air. How to protect wine from air has challenged winemakers from the beginning, says Peter F May .

The Challenge of Aging Wine

Although, I am new to wine aging fundamentals but I am aware that it takes several years for the wine to taste good. But I have learnt that a good deal of wine made in the world today should be drunk young. Very brilliant article on wine aging.

Many thanks for the feedback on the article, much appreciated.

You are correct that 99% of the wine on sale is made to be drunk, not aged and few will improve with age.

Aging wine brings about changes and many drinkers who do age a special bottle are disappointed when they find that they don't enjoy the characteristics of an aged wine. Aged wine is an acquired taste.

However, one wine that I do recommend that everyone ages for 6 months and more is Champagne (or other sparkling wine made in the same process). You will notice a real difference for the better - less sharp, more rounded and softer - after 6 months and up to 3 years, and the effect is more noticeable the cheaper the sparkler is.