Most wine is sold ready to drink, so we need to know how long we can keep it before it begins to deteriorate.
Wine labels, your wine supplier, or the internet can provide information, but, in the case of the internet, it’s best to check a couple of sources (just sayin’).
As a very rough guide, the higher the levels of tannin, fruit, acidity, alcohol, and/or sugar a wine has, the longer the shelf life.
Storability is not aging.
This post is about storing wine, as opposed to “aging” wine. Since most wine these days is sold at or near its peak, “aging” wine isn’t usually necessary. **(Collecting and aging wine is a topic to be covered in another post - AH)
What we want is to preserve the quality of wine so we can enjoy it while it’s in top form. That comes down to 1) keeping it away from harm (see post: How To Store Wine), and 2) knowing how long a given wine can be stored before losing its character, or worse. Most wines, like people, don’t necessarily improve with time.
HOW LONG CAN WINES BE STORED
Often -& especially on New World wine - the label will tell you by when the wine should be drunk. Conversely, if you buy your wine from a wine supplier, you’d be surprised at how happy you can make them by asking these types of questions.
The internet is packed with information. It is also packed with misinformation, errors, and marketing content, so check out a couple of sources. Not every site is as reliable, well-written, and charming as this one.
Absent the above, here are a few guiding principles.
In broad terms, wines that have higher levels of tannin, fruit, acidity, alcohol, and/or sugar, can be stored longer than their less endowed counterparts.
With red wine, it’s mostly high levels of tannin and fruit that help keep wine longer, and with white wine, it’s mostly alcohol, acidity, and sugar that determine storability. Some examples follow.
Red wine
- 1-3 years
- Beaujolais, simple red Burgundy, table wines.
- 2-5 years
- Barbera, simple red Bordeaux and Burgundies, New World Cabernet, Chianti, simple red Italian wine, Malbec, New World Merlot, Merlot del Ticino, New Worlds Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Zinfandel, and similar wines.
- 5-10 years
- Amarone, Barolo and Barbaresco, good Burgundies, Chianti Riserva, Rioja Reserva and Gran Reserva, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and similar wines
- 10-30 years
- Great red Bordeaux, Barolo and Barbaresco for the better areas. Top Burgundy Grand Crus, top New World red wines.
White wine
- 1-2 years
- Simple white Bordeaux and Burgundies, Trebbiano from Italy, Chablis, Chasselas, new world Sauvignon Blanc, and similar wines.
- 2-5 years
- Chablis Grand Cru, New World Chardonnay, some Austrian and German Rieslings, Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valles, some Australian Sémillon.
- 5-10 years
- White Bordeaux and Burgundy.
- 5-20 years
- Premium white Bordeaux, Burgundy Grand Crus, Loire Valley Chenin Blanc, and similar wines.
Rosé wine
- 1-2 years
- Rosé wine is all about fruit and best enjoyed young.
Sweet wine
- 5-10 years
- Eiswein from Switzerland and Germany, New World Late Harvest wines, Moscato Passito, simple Sauternes, Vin Santo
- 10-20 years
- Good Sauternes, Ruster Ausbruch, Riesling Mosel BA, Tokaji Aszu 3-5 Puttonyos.
- 10-50 years
- Top Saurterns, Riesling Mosel TBA and Eiswein, Tokaji Aszu 6 -4 Puttonyos and Eszencia.
Sparkling wine
- 1-2 years
- Sparkling wines are generally placed into retail when they are deemed optimal by the winemaker, hence, should be consumed promptly…
- 2-20 years
- Vintage and "prestige cuvée" Champagne can profit from laying down.
Fortified wine
- 1-2 years
- Fortified wines are mature when they are bottled and should be consumed in short order.
- 5-20 years
- Vintage Port