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+--- Thread: Expiration for Reds (/thread-16789.html)
- RosesWine - 04-17-2006
Yesterday I opened two bottles of Merlot that were dated 1997. One had sediment and other tasted bitter. How long should I store reds (Cabernet, Merlot and Pinot Noir)? I have some dating 1996-2003 that I haven't opened. Thanks.
- jv38 - 04-17-2006
Not all wine was created to withstand the test of time. Only a small amount of wine can mature with time. The two merlots that you opened may not have one of those. Other possibility is the storage. To keep a wine for a long period of time the bottle is required to be on a controlled environment with tem around 55-60 degrees and humidity, constantly.
The sediment in the wine is normal. The bitter taste may be that it went bad.
- RosesWine - 04-17-2006
Thank you for quick response. I have the wines stored in my basement where it's normally around 60-72 degrees. Is it safe to assume then that there's no way of telling if wine is kept too long for drinking purposes untill I open it?
- Innkeeper - 04-17-2006
Hi Roses, and welcome to the Board. There is no rule what-so-ever about red wine in general. Every wine from every region, and in many cases from every producer is different. Start with the fact that 90+% of all wine, including red, is made to be consumed within a few years of production. Some even less. It was not too many years ago that you could hardly find an Italian White that was not dead on arrival.
The small number of red or white wines that age well has to be learned. I've been drinking wine for a long, long time including many aged out lovelies, but when I get ahold of a wine that I think will age, but don't know how long; I ask.
Let me give you a couple of examples of what I've learned from experience. A wine club from a winery I belong to sends a case of eight wines twice a year. Usually five or six of these are potential agers, usually not very long (two to eight years). Since they usually send new vintages of wines they've sent before, I know from experience how long to age each one out. The second example is/are regions that experience have tought you will usually age out in a given number of years. A well constructed Brunello goes fifteen years. Second or third growth Bordeaux in a good vintage go ten years. Crozes-Hermitage are best after five years, so are the whites Australian Semillion, Sancerre from Loire, and many well constructed Rieslings from various places.
I don't know a book or website that will teach you all you need to know aging, and we all learn something new all the time. One rule of thumb is that if it costs less than $15-$18, drink it up. If it cost more, most of the time it will do better with some age, particularly if it is red.
- RosesWine - 04-18-2006
Looks like I won't be buying any more wines until I finish ones I have and hope they haven't all gone bad. Any recommendations for future purchases to fill my new wine room? I don't like very dry wines or ones with a lot of tannins. Guess you might say I'm leaning towards merlots and pinot noirs. Don't care too much for whites. Also need recommendations for good wine to serve with roast lamb and chicken that I'm serving for a diner party. Thanks.
- Innkeeper - 04-18-2006
Don't know the size of your wine room. It is supposed to do two functions. The first is what we have been discussing; to age or "lay down" wines that need it. The second function is to hold wines that are "in rotation." We keep two-thirds to three-quarters of our cellar that has a ten case capacity in rotation. Rotation serves two ends in itself. First is to insure that you will have something to drink with whatever you plan to cook. The second is to give you the capacity to buy wines that you particularly like, by the case.
There is no reason why you could not have your whole cellar in rotation, if you do not have the desire, knowledge, or patience to lay down any wine. Wines that are too tannic, provided they are balanced with fruit, acid, and other qualities; are the ones that do need to age out.
- RosesWine - 04-18-2006
Wine room is in basement, 8x9, with no heating/AC vents, door closed. Temp @ 50s in winter, 60s in spring. Don't know yet for summer since we haven't gone through one yet, probably low 70s. Have wine racks to hold 40 bottles and plan on buying a small wine cooler for transition. Not sure though whether I should considering the low temp in wine room. What do you think?
- Innkeeper - 04-18-2006
So long as it is above freezing, no problem.
- RosesWine - 04-18-2006
So, I really don't need to buy a wine cooler? I could store all my wine on the racks and not worry about spoilage (?) as long as I separate ones for aging and ones for drinking within year-two bought? Thanks for all your help and patience. Really appreciate it.