"closed" wines

[barnesy]

Ok, here is one to ply the grey matter with...

I understand the process a wine takes during aging in which the tannins combine into larger chains etc to make a complex and soft older wine. But how does a wine go through this process...drinkable young, closed for a period, then drinkable again?

Barnesy

[cpurvis]

Good heavens B!!! Maybe you've forgotten what to do with yourself on a day away from the office...step outside & give those brain cells some fresh air!

[barnesy]

Unfortunately, I am horridly curious about things that pertain to my interests. And where Wine is my hobby, thats what I play with in my offtime. The misses will tell you I am not the most exciting individual on earth, but then again she chose to marry a bookworm academic. Oh well, look forward to the answers.

Barnesy

[Innkeeper]

A wine with strong tannins can be drinkable young because the fresh fruit overcomes the harshness of the tannin. After the fruit fades, the wine is "closed", while other ingredients in the wine, primarily acid, work on the tannin. Once the tannins are tamed, the wine is "open" again.

This process can be accelerated by exposing the wine to oxygen. This is why you see postings where a member will post something like, " I let it set for 45 minutes before drinking", or "it finally opened after three hours." Even faster opening can be accomplished by swirling the wine glass. You see this frequently in winery tasting rooms were the attendants will slosh their monsters all over the place, trying to open them up for you.

[Thomas]

Barnsey, IK gave the long answer; the short is: wine is a living organism that is in constant state of flux, unlike some of my friends. ...

[Innkeeper]

All things are in flux.

[hotwine]

Gee, I thought we fluxed already this morning...