Just finished a crazy tasting of top Canadian microbrews. Top ones, http://t.co/WNT2JZjO, http://t.co/mgSu7ADf, http://t.co/yiK7BC2H
| 02 February 2010
| Article Index |
|---|
| Why Wine Needs Cellaring |
| The Major Varieties... |
| Aging Chart... |
| All Pages |
Page 2 of 3
The major varieties are:
Cabernet Sauvignon (especially from cooler regions like Bordeaux )
Cabernet-Merlot blends (Meritage)
Nebbiolo-based wines (Barolo/Barbaresco)
Syrah/Shiraz (Rhône, Australia)
Tempranillo (Spain)
Sangiovese (Italy)
Cabernet Sauvignon is king when it comes to tannins, because of its small berry size. This means that the ratio of skin to pulp is high, and since tannins are concentrated in the skins as well as the pits and stalks, the resulting wine will be higher in tannin than, say, Merlot, which has a larger berry size.
While some white wines can benefit from cellaring for up to a decade, most should be consumed within a year of their vintage date. The exceptions are domaine-bottled white Burgundy (never inexpensive); Chenin Blanc from the Loire; Rieslings from cool-climate regions such as Germany, Austria and Ontario; some Rioja whites and sweet dessert wines (sugar is a great preservative) with good acidity (for example, Sauternes, Tokaji, Icewine); and vintage-dated champagne.
Fortified wines such as port, sherry, Madeira and Marsala are the “no-brainer” cellar choices. They have inherent longevity because of their higher alcohol content (20 to 22 per cent by volume), which acts as a preservative along with the residual sugar and acidity.
Generally — though I hate to admit it — the more you pay for a wine the more likely it will age well.
The eminent British wine writer Jancis Robinson has compiled a list of major grape varieties and their potential lifespan as wine. The spread she gives speaks to the different styles of wine the grape can produce as well as the effect of regional differences and winemaking techniques. For instance, a Cabernet Sauvignon made in California as an inexpensive simple red will have a life of four years, whereas a top-flight Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve from a great vintage can live for 20 years. Similarly, the Hungarian variety Furmint, when vinified as a dry white wine, should be consumed within three years of its harvest date, but when made as a sweet wine, it can live for a quarter of a century.