The amount of sugar in a wine doesn’t change as it ages. But the way a wine tastes changes a great deal. Aged dessert wines from Sauternes do seem to taste more like drier wines over time.
How does wine taste better with age? One group of phenolic compound – tannins – has particular importance in determining how wine tastes after aging. Tannins, found in the stems, seeds and skins of the grape, gives wine its dry texture – they are what give a drinker of red wine that dried-out feeling afterward.
Thus, a wine storage facility must maintain consistently cool temperatures and consistent humidity levels to make wine taste better with age. For best aging, keep wine at temperatures between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 10 to 13 degrees Celsius.
Humans have appreciated the benefits of wine aging since the days of the ancient Greeks, who produced straw wine, capable of aging due to its high sugar content. The early Romans prized Falernian and Surrentine wines because they could be stored for decades. The Bible even mentions the superiority of aged wine in Luke 5:39, which says, “And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
Aging wine properly allows it time to develop a smooth, full flavor that enhances the experience of drinking wine. Talk to your favorite wine dealer to learn more about aging wines.
Tannins alone do not make wine taste better with age – temperature is important to the proper aging of wine. Wine is delicate and perishable. It begins to oxidize when exposed to warm temperatures. This means the wine molecules take on extra oxygen, become unstable, and begin to break down. Oxidization causes wine to age and become undrinkable prematurely.
Are wines sweeter when they are younger?
Kaspars Reitups, by email, asks: Young wines seem sweeter than the same wines when they are older.
What happens to sugars? Do they get more integrated in wine with age and balance out, or do they lose sweetness? Maybe sugars break down (or form a compound) and create sediment?
László Mészarós replies: This is a phenomenon we often experience in Tokaji. Sometimes we say the wine ‘digests’ its sugars, but I don’t know the scientific explanation.
What we do know is that the measurable sugar level does not change. It is the same after 20 years as it was at the bottling – but the wine tastes less sweet.
The sugar doesn’t form any sediment, it just remains in the wine. With time, other molecules and aldehydes can appear, which would change not only the wine’s aroma but also the perception of sweetness on the palate.
László Mészarós is director of Disznókö in Tokaj, Hungary.
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Sommelier Tastes the Same Wine at 5 Ages (1978-2016) | World Of Wine | Bon Appétit
FAQ
Does aging wine make it sweeter?
What does over aged wine taste like?
Is aged wine sweet or bitter?
Would 100 year old wine taste good?
Why do aged wines taste harsh?
These wines taste harsh, but aged wines are described as smooth. Chemically, the tannins are no longer as polymerized. In other words, the individual tannin molecules no longer bind together. Previous research suggested that this occurs because of a chemical called bisulfite (HSO 3-) that is added during the winemaking process as a preservative.
Is it normal to experience loss of taste and smell as you age?
It is common to lose some sense of smell with age. Also as we get older, we can find it harder to correctly identify different smells. With a loss of smell, people also notice foods lose some of their flavor. True taste as function of the tongue generally stays intact with normal aging.
What does wine taste like as it ages?
Here’s what you need to know. What happens to wine’s flavor as it ages? When wines are young, we taste their primary flavors, like grassiness in Sauvignon Blanc, plum in Merlot, apricot in Viognier or citrus in Riesling.
Does aging wine affect the taste of a wine?
Any of these elements in high amounts will aid in aging wine, and when combined will cause a chemical reaction that can affect the taste, color, mouthfeel, and smell of wine (via CellaRaiders ). Wine doesn’t stop evolving once it’s out of the barrel and in the bottle.