Proper Aging of Reds

[Innkeeper]

It was too young. Every indiviual wine should be evaluated. By who? By you, with the help of others including retailers, wine critics, magazines, us and other websites, etc.

Very general guidelines and these are very general are most pinot noir, zinfandel, and syrah/shiraz should be consumed in five or six years. Lots of cabernet and Bordeaux can go ten years.

There are many exceptions to these guidelines. Burgundy, made from pinot, can individually go as long as a Bordeaux. Syrah from the Upper Rhone and from the top Australian producers can go even longer.

Cabernet and Bordeaux that costs less than $15 is usually, not always, in the 5 to 6 year range.

How do you sort this all out? With experiance, and no way else. So start out collecting very carefully. Never lay down a wine that you have no idea when it will peak. If I lay something down, I immediately post an opening date on a file on the ole 'puter. If it is less than a year, I write in on the bottle.

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 02-16-2003).]