Ageing of wines
Reaching the summit patiently
We are often asked how long it is worth ageing our wines. In connection with the classically- schooled, high composition -valued wines of the Bakos Winery, which were grown on volcanic soil and made from crop-limited vines we usually say 3-5 years. And what is the situation with the other wines? A little educational summary follows.
It is important to know that only wines of high composition value are worth ageing, a quality which accounts for a longer maturation period by which the wines will be enriched with extra characteristics, the so-called maturational (tertiary) aromas. It depends on the vine type, the cropland, the harvested base materials and the wine-making process. Which are these wine types? Perhaps it is easier to define which are not.
Not every wine will be better with maturing
What types of wines are not worth maturing? The reductively made, light and fragranced white and rosé wines and tank champagnes, which are consumed for their freshness, are worth being consumed within 1 or maximum 1.5 years after coming on to the market. Champagnes which were made in a traditional way can endure maturing, nevertheless they matured in champagne cellars for a long time and they were sold on the market in a consumption ready state, so these more serious champagnes are also worth being consumed within 3 years.
In a record-breaking form
The situation is completely different with the good quality white or even more so the red wines, and naturally with the dessert wines and the special quality, vintage champagnes. It is a pity to consume a chardonnay or cabernet young because there is a shocking difference in favour of the more matured items. The situation is completely different with the good quality white or even more so the red wines, and naturally with the dessert wines and the special quality, vintage champagnes. It is a pity to consume a chardonnay or cabernet young because there is a shocking difference in favour of the more matured items.
Since- besides other parameters-the acid content of the wines also plays an important role in the storability, generally speaking, wines of higher acid content can be stored longer. Wines with the longest maturity period the Botrytis sweet wines-the old Tokay wine for example- have a legendary several decade-long maturity potential. Provided we store them properly…
In the next part we will deal with the topic of proper storage in details!
