uncorked red wine

[Noclue]

I have read in some of the posts that most wines are better when they are new. But I have noticed that when I look on a website that sells wine there are some older wines with very good reviews. For example I noticed a Penfolds 1999 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon has a very good review. With this now being 2004 is it still going to be a good wine? It is almost $90 a bottle and I am just using that one as an example. There was another one that I noticed that was a Brookland Valley 1999 Estate Merlot with a rating of 89. again would this be good? How do I know what wines age better then others?

[Innkeeper]

The wines you mentioned are not older releases, but current releases. The overwhelming majority of wines that are currently for sale, are current releases. The vintage (year) on the bottle is the year the grapes in the wine were harvested. The higher quality wines spend most of the following year being made. Then they age in barrels for two or three more years. Then they are bottled and released.

For wines that are good agers, check out: http://38.118.142.245/ubb2/Forum37/HTML/002663.html