Ever Wonder? Do All Wines Get Better with Age?

It’s a common belief with wines - an older bottle is better than a younger bottle. But, is that always so?

If you’ve read some of my past blogs, you’d know that one of my favorite lines is “One of the first things to understand about aging wines is that a wine cellar isn’t a wine hospital. If a wine is flawed or just not very good, it doesn’t magically become better with age…” [from “Ask Dr. Vinny” Wine Spectator online (Sept. 21, 2014].

Today, most wines, both reds and whites, are meant to be enjoyed right away. When wines are bottled, they’re ready for consumption. Aging doesn't necessarily make them better.

This point is always driven home for me when Wine Enthusiast puts out its annual Vintage Chart. It provides guidance on when wines are “At their Peak” and whether to “Drink” or “Hold” a wine based on the wine region and the vintage date. Here are some generalized notes from the 2021 chart regarding California wines:

  • Zinfandel — The 2012/2014 are at peak; The 1989 wines may be past their peak; the 1987s are in decline and may be undrinkable

  • Pinot Noir — The 2012 are at peak; The 1989/1990 wines may be past their peak; 1986s are in decline and may be undrinkable

  • Napa Cabernet Sauvignon — The 2012/2014 are at peak maturity; those back to 2001 are shown as ‘Can drink, may be past peak’

A good rule of thumb is that most wines will begin to fade to the down side in as few as five years and after 10 years they'll generally have lost most of their character, if not out-right spoiled. And, remember, this assumes that the wines are aged properly in a cool, dark, humidity-controlled location.

So, older wines can be better, but only up to a point. So, you don't need to age wines to be able to drink great wines.

Next time we'll look at what makes a wine age-worthy.

Behind the Cork™ - Wines of TILIA (Part 1)

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Wines of TILIA from Argentina

Tilia’s rural origins in Mendoza Argentina connect them deeply to the land and to their community. As the first Argentine wine to carry the Bodegas de Argentina Certified Sustainable Seal, the TILIA label illustrates their journey toward sustainable viticulture in Argentina. The Tilia or Tilo tree, their wine label’s namesake, produces leaves that are made into a calming tea which is traditionally drunk after lunch or dinner, to facilitate an afternoon siesta or bedtime.

The TILIA wines come from three growing regions in Argentina:

  • The Uco Valley is considered to be one of the premiere grape-growing regions in Mendoza. Located 100 miles due south from Mendoza city, its elevation reaches between 3,000-5,000 feet.

  • The Eastern Region is one of the oldest and most traditional viticultural regions in Mendoza. Located 50 miles to the southeast of the city of Mendoza, its reaches 1,950-2,150 feet.

  • The Central Region of Mendoza is home to the oldest high-quality vineyards. It is also a desert irrigated by the Mendoza River. Located 12 miles due south from Mendoza city, its elevation reaches 2,600-3,700 feet.

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2020 Bonarda - The TILIA Bonarda (Also known as Charbono) is fermented for 10 days with maceration of 15 days in stainless steel tanks. It then spends six months in French Oak. It is intense violet in color. On the nose it has dark fruit and spice aromas. On the palate, it has a sweet entry followed by soft tannins and nice acidity. It finishes with basil and blueberry flavors that linger nicely.





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2020 Malbec-Syrah - This is a blend of 55% Malbec and 45% Syrah. It is fermented for 12 days with maceration of 15 days in stainless steel tanks. It is then aged six months in French oak. The color of this wine is intense violet. It has a complex nose of red and dark fruit with subtle spice and leather hints. On the palate it is well-structured with jam, leather and meaty flavors. It finishes long with soft tannins.

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2020 Torrontés - This TILIA Torrontés is fermented for 10 days with maceration of 15 days in stainless steel tanks before spending six months in French Oak. It is pale yellow in color with light greenish hues. On the nose it exhibits aromas of passion fruit, citrus and freshly cut grass. On the palate, this wine is bright and fresh with concentrated vegetal and tropical flavors. It has a long and persistent finish.

It is their hope that TILIA becomes synonymous with sustainable living and inspires a movement among wine drinkers and producers are over the world.

Next week Behind the Cork™ will feature TILIA’s Chardonnay, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Nonni Strategic Marketing LLC

Ever Wonder About Orange Wine?

Several years ago, we took an initial look at Orange wine. Having recently been asked about Orange wine, I thought it would be worth another look.

First, let’s get the most important point out of the way - Orange wine is not made from oranges.

Like ‘red’ wine and ‘white’ wine, Orange wine is categorized as such because of its color.

Now, let’s get to how Orange wines become orange in color. The answer is really quite straight forward. An Orange wine is produced with white wine grapes but it’s made using the same process that a red wine is made. That is, the juice of the white wine grape is left in contact with the skins of the grapes for an extended period.

This skin contact is in contrast to the way a white wine is produced where the juice is immediately separated from the skin of the grape. It’s this skin contact that results in the otherwise white wine becoming ‘orange.’ This skin contact can be just for a brief period of time (24 hours) or the skins may remain in contact through fermentation for a period of a week or more. The final color of Orange wine can vary across a range from yellow, gold, tangerine, amber or even pink.

The skin contact adds more than just color. It adds additional flavor and it adds tannin. So, Orange wines are generally bigger and bolder in flavor and have a more astringent mouthfeel like a red wine. Orange wines should be served slightly warmer than a white wine and slightly cooler than a red. So, 55 degrees F would be just about right.

Some people have tried to associate Orange wine with ‘Natural’ wine. But, it’s not true in general. Like any red or white wine, an Orange wine is only a natural wine if it’s been grown, processed and bottled using ‘natural’ methods.

While Orange wines are not that common, you may find them on wine lists at higher-end restaurants and wine bars, or at higher-end wine shops. So, keep an eye out for them and give an Orange wine a try. With its bigger and bolder flavors, Orange wines should pair well with many foods. Cheers!

Ever Wonder? Why is Syrah Co-Fermented with Viognier?

Winemakers sometimes co-ferment Syrah with Viognier. But, why would they combine a red-wine grape and a white-wine grape during fermentation?

Well, this began in the Côte-Rôtie, a wine-growing region in France's Northern Rhône Valley where Viognier often grows alongside Syrah. And, some winemakers there simply went with what they had - producing a “field-blend” wine. And, it worked quite well.

It actually turns out that blending these grapes during fermentation serves multiple purposes for winemakers.

One of the primary reasons for using Viognier in small quantities with Syrah is that it actually enhances the color of the Syrah. You’d think the Viognier would ‘water down’ the deep dark color of the Syrah. But, the chemical compounds of Viognier actually help to stabilize and retain the color of the Syrah through the fermentation process.

Viognier also has a beautiful floral aroma along with spice and peach notes that enhances the aroma of Syrah that can include plum, tobacco, black pepper and even bacon fat.

Viognier is also said to give Syrah a silkier mouthfeel.

The amounts of Viognier that are added to Syrah typically still allow the wine to be labelled as Syrah but some winemakers are actually going with full disclosure and labeling their wine as Syrah-Viognier. Either way, this co-fermentation enhances the final wine in your glass. Cheers!