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[Innkeeper]

Prodigy, once you get into the $40-%100 price range, price does not determine aging ability. The first factor is to have a "place" to age wine. Either a mechanical or a passive venue will work, the key being to keep year round temps below 70 degrees F.

The next most important factor is purchase a wine that is in balance. Unfortunately the balance of a wine is not normally printed on the label, so you have to do some reseach. What has to be in balance? The two most important elements are acid and Ph. Also important are fruit, sugar, and tannin. Exactly how much of each consists of perfect balance depends on specific variety and producer. Most of today's wines at all price levels have poor balance, and won't age very well.

Another important factor is structure. Dan Berger defines structure this way: “Structure encompasses a wine’s texture (such as its acid and tannins), the impact of its alcohol and sugars, its bitterness, smoothness, or other tactile sensations we pick up, usually in the aftertaste.

For me, structure and texture are significant elements in how I view wine since it is vital that a great wine deliver more than simply superb flavor. I have had many wines that had great flavor, but which were ruined by textural element that gave the wine a harshness or a bitterness that intruded upon its ultimate enjoyability.”

In sum, to age wine (and we are talking primarily about red wine here) you need a facility to age it in, and the wine must be balanced and have firm sturcture.