Myth. It's a common misconception that all wines improve with age. In fact, more than 90 percent of all the wines made in the world should be consumed within one year, and less than 1 percent of the world's wines should be aged for more than five years. Wines change with age. Some get better, but most do not. The good news is that the 1 percent represents more than 350 million bottles of wine every vintage.
What makes a wine last more than five years?
The color and the grape: Red wines, because of their tannin content, will generally age longer than whites. And certain red grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, tend to have more tannin than, say, Pinot Noir.
The vintage: The better the weather conditions in one year, the more likely the wines from that vintage will have a better balance of fruits, acids, and tannins, and therefore have the potential to age longer.
Where the wine comes from: Certain vineyards have optimum conditions for growing grapes, including such factors as soil, weather, drainage, and slope of the land.
How the wine was made (vinification): The longer the wine remains in contact with its skins during fermentation (maceration), and if it is fermented and/or aged in oak, the more of the natural preservative tannin it will have, which can help it age longer. These are just two examples of how winemaking can affect the aging of wine.
Wine storage conditions: Even the best-made wines in the world will not age well if they are improperly stored.
So keeping that case of wine at the top of your closet in the hallway shouldn't be your first choice if you are looking to invest. Great wines for aging should be kept at an approximately 55-degree temperature and 70% humidity.
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