3 Signs Your White Wine is Age-worthy
For years white wines were last to mind for wine collectors looking for age-worthy wines. However, aspiring winemakers are now using advances in winemaking and packaging techniques to explore the aging potential of white wines.
Age-worthy white wines have a refreshing power on the palate, greeted by riper, honeyed, and nutty aromas on the nose. They are worlds away from the attractive, fruity wines released right after the wine is made.
White wines develop faster in bottles than reds, so you can already see the evolvement of bottle age 4-5 years after the vintage. That is the sweet spot since the fruit character is still well-defined and present, but you can also find incredible white wines even older than 15 years! Just remember to always check the condition of the closure and the storage conditions before you opt for one.
How can you know a white wine is age-worthy?
Here are three telltale signs to look out for!
1 - The Wine is Sold in the Secondary Market
A secondary market is when a wine has a resell value higher than the initial price. This means wine lovers and collectors are actively seeking and purchasing the wine after it's been released from the winery. Yes, this interest may be associated with the prestige of the winemaker or the region, but it's almost always accompanied by incredible wines that get better with bottle age. White wines of this calibre are often made with highly concentrated and high-quality grapes, from skilled winemakers and no expense is spared to ensure their high quality will last long after bottling!
2 - The Wine is Released Late From the Winery
Some wineries intentionally release wines later than their entry-level labels. The higher end wines are often labelled as “late release”, “reserve” or “bottle-aged”. Would any winemaker intentionally hold back a wine if it doesn't improve with age? Of course not! Getting your hands on these bottles means the wine has already been aged for you by the winery, likely in a perfect aging conditions. Since these wines are high quality, you can also put them in your own cellar as well, if you prefer a more mature taste.
3 - The Underdogs
Ageworthy wines don't always come with a hefty price tag. They can easily take your cellar to the next level if you can identify the wines that will mature incredibly. During your wine tasting and exploration journey, consider looking out for wines that tick the ageability boxes.
First of all, you must like them while they're young. No point in collecting wines you don't like, just because someone else says it's good! Secondly, look at the concentration. Do you sense the power within the wine, or is it watery and faded already? Power can come from flavor intensity or a concentrated palate. Don't mistake oak flavors, like vanilla or cloves for concentration. You're looking for the fruit. Finally, consider the structure. White wines need high acidity to age well. If the wine makes your mouth water, then it's a good candidate.
Recently, some winemakers choose to do skin contact with their white wines or use skin connect white wine (commonly known as orange wine) as a blending partner. The resulting wines perform well with age, as the tannins they gain from the grape skins are natural antioxidants, which preserve the wine in the bottle.
Let loose and explore the magical world of aged white wine! There are wines out there that will definitely surprise you!
Evmorfia Kostaki
