Aging
Winemaking · Beginner · 2 min read
Aging, in the wine world, refers to the maturation of a wine in barrel, tank or bottle. During this time, the wine's tannins soften, its colour stabilises, its aromas evolve and its texture integrates. Aging is one of the most important parts of the winemaking process, and the choices the winemaker makes about vessel, time and conditions have a huge impact on the finished wine.
Three kinds of aging
There are three distinct kinds of aging. The first is in-barrel or in-tank aging, the period between the end of fermentation and the bottling. The second is in-bottle aging before release, the time the wine spends in bottle at the winery before being sold. The third is in-bottle aging after release, the time the consumer keeps the wine before drinking.
Each kind of aging has a different purpose. In-barrel or in-tank aging builds structure, integrates oak and develops the primary and secondary aromas. In-bottle aging before release softens the wine and adds tertiary complexity. In-bottle aging after release is the consumer's choice, and it is where the wine's long-term potential is revealed.
Vessels and their effects
Oak barrels add flavour compounds, allow micro-oxygenation and contribute tannin. Stainless steel tanks preserve the fresh fruit and do not add oak. Concrete eggs, increasingly popular in the UK, allow a gentle micro-oxygenation without the oak flavour. Each vessel shapes the wine in a different way, and the choice depends on the style.
Aging in the UK
UK aging programmes vary. Premium still Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs typically spend 9 to 12 months in barrel, followed by 6 to 12 months in bottle before release. Sparkling base wines are usually aged briefly, then go through the full méthode traditionnelle with 24 to 60 months on lees. The aging clock starts at different points for different wines, but the principle is the same: time in a controlled environment lets the wine develop.
For sparkling wines, the aging before release is mostly lees aging in bottle, which adds the autolytic character that is the signature of méthode traditionnelle. The aging after release is bottle aging, which further softens and integrates the wine.
Aging potential
Some wines are designed to age for decades. Top Bordeaux, Vintage Port, top Riesling, top Champagne and top Burgundy can all age for 20 to 100 years. Other wines are designed to drink young, within 2 to 5 years of release. Most English wines sit in the middle, with a recommended drinking window of 3 to 10 years.
For the consumer, the practical advice is to buy a few bottles of every release, drink one now to understand the wine, and put the rest down to see how it develops. A horizontal tasting of the same wine across several years is one of the most instructive exercises in wine appreciation.