The Aging Process

As wine ages, it becomes more complex. What do we mean by complex? As time passes, chemical reactions take place that add new aromas, flavors, and textures to the wine. Wine is a combination of chemical elements—alcohol, phenols, esters, sugars, and other volatile compounds are constantly binding, dissolving, and changing shape. While the proportions of acid, alcohol, and sugars stay the same, they all react to each other and change over time to influence the flavor, aromas, and texture that ends up in your glass. There is no exact science as to how the flavors in wine develop as it ages, but generally, the primary fruit flavors will fade and leave room for what is called tertiary flavors. These are more complex tastes like mushroom, stone, and earth that are revealed once the bold fruit flavors start to fade. Texturally, red wines will become smoother and softer as the tannins become heavier. Sometimes, the chemical compounds associated with tannins will combine, grow large and fall out of suspension causing the wine to “throw sediment.” This isn’t necessarily a bad thing and can easily be filtered out with a decanter.

There is such a thing as aging a wine for too long. As these reactions reach their final stages, fewer chemical compounds will be left from the initial bottling, and the wine will lose its freshness and complexity. What qualifies as “too old” depends significantly on the wine and how it was stored. Each bottle should be considered individually when deciding how long to age it. Both temperature and oxygen play a role in the aging reactions. Although there can be small amounts of oxygen present in wines when they are in the bottle, it is thought that this is consumed early in the aging process, perhaps within a few months of bottling. The aging reactions following this are then essentially anaerobic, and temperature becomes the major factor controlling the rate of aging. 

Opening the Wine

Older bottles of wine can be difficult to open as the corks will have some level of breakdown. Try a regular corkscrew first, going as slow as possible. If the cork does break, use an ah-so to pull out the remaining pieces. Don’t panic if the cork is difficult; it’s part of the experience of cellaring your wine.

Decanting

Older red wines can benefit from being decanted. Doing so removes the wine from the fine filament in the bottle and helps it open up and release its flavors and aromas. Some collectors like to go the extra mile and double decant. This means decanting the wine and then using a funnel to pour it back into the now filament-free bottle. While this is not necessary, you might enjoy having the bottle and label to look at and serve out of. Bring your wine out of the cellar and stand it upright for six to eight hours before you’d like to serve it to allow the sediment to settle. When decanting, some people like to use a funnel. Keep observing the wine through the neck and shoulder of the bottle. The wine will be crystal clear until the very end, when sediment will appear. At this point, stop pouring.

Choosing Your Glasses 

There are hundreds of shapes and sizes of glasses available on the market. Which ones you use is a personal decision. Beaulieu Vineyard partnered with Riedel to create a bespoke wine glass that could fully express the consistency, quality, and unique character of our flagship wine. Georg Riedel himself developed the design and, working with a panel of expert palates led by Winemaker Trevor Durling, was able to fine-tune a glass that is absolutely perfect for Georges de Latour Private Reserve. The glass features a wide bowl to introduce more air to the wine and tapers at the rim to focus the aromas. Incorporating our Georges de Latour specific wine glass can add a personalized touch to your cellar experience, be a great accessory for anyone who loves Georges de Latour, plus be a unique piece for collectors who enjoy gathering wine memorabilia.