To Age or Not to Age?  That is the Question

Is it possible that any one actually has a palate so great that they can justify $15,000 for a bottle of 1947 Petrus? Well, at $3000 per glass those 5 cocky British IBs  (Investment Bankers) ironically and deservedly discovered that the price of that particular wine might have been the least of their costs.

Of course, the prices of all very expensive aged wines really have nothing to do with reality. In many cases the wines are never consumed and just become extreme examples of conspicuous non-consumption. The well-kept secret is that often many become undrinkable and thus of no real value. Since wine is obviously made to drink and enjoy rather than look at, extreme aging (beyond 20 years) is clearly a frivolous exercise in economic and sensuous futility.

It is true that in recent years, wineries, especially in this country, Australia and Italy have created wines that can be enjoyed fresh and young.  But make no mistake; moderate aging absolutely does improve the pleasures to be derived from most wines. The basic rule of thumb is that better wines can be and should be aged. If you have some present favorites, try aging them a bit to see if it increases your enjoyment. Even those under $10 bargains will improve with a few years in the bottle.

However, refrigeration and expensive equipment is only justified if you own 200 bottles or more and have a desire to age wines longer than 10 years. You can enjoy the extra pleasure of a 9 year old Cabernet or a 5 year old Chardonnay merely by investing a little bit of patience, a few extra dollars in extra inventory and reasonable care of your wine.
 

Wine ages best in a cool, dark environments with limited changes in temperature. . The floor of a closet away from an exterior wall is an excellent and inexpensive place to store and age wine. An ornate exterior wine rack high on a wall or on a counter is a waste of money and a big mistake. Keep those wines in the dark at the coolest place in the house, the floor.  

You can easily store 6 cases (72 bottles) in most closets. Using two closets gives you up to 144 aging bottles. Then just forget about them for at least 3-4 years. You then can start periodically pouring (or “visiting” as the aficionados term it) some of the whites and lighter reds such as Pinot Noir and Zinfandel to see how they well they are aging. Most Cabernets can easily go a few more years. Keep a chart so that you know what you have along with its age. It turns out to be a lot of fun.


If you feel the need to better control aging (Storing them in your refrigerator is absolutely not an option even for a few days. It is too cold and can kill a wine. Chill a white wine or champagne by placing it in the refrigerator no more than two hours prior to serving. Most white wines are served so cold, you can’t taste them). and you have an extra refrigerator or old freezer, you can buy a wine thermostat called The Wine-Stat that you can easily hook up that will keep the temperature at the steady 55 degree that is desirable for long term aging. It is about $150. It is a reasonably inexpensive way to get into serious collecting and aging. You can get at least 40 bottles in an old refrigerator or freezer. Pick out your best stuff for this aging and put your “Drinkitnow” wines on the floor in that closet.

Starting a wine collection in this manner is also a lesson in economics. You can buy your favorite wines when they are on sale. You can benefit from case discounts. You can eliminate the panic trip to the store to buy a bottle of wine when you are going to someone’s home for dinner. It makes a lot of sense. Don’t waste $500 or $600 on those refrigerated mini wine cellars that hold 40-60 bottles. Use any of the techniques described above. But if you already have a small collection and plan to get serious, then consider the full size wine cellar. They are essentially insulated cabinets fitted to hold 350 or more bottles of wine with a small refrigeration unit that can keep the temperature around the desired 55 degrees. Prices are all over the place depending upon how elaborate you want to be.

Based on years of study, however, I have concluded that the best value anywhere in the United States can be found at Vinotemp right here in Rancho Dominguez. Since shipping is a significant additional cost, this Southern California location saves you money…and  you can get a very acceptable basic 350 bottle wine cellar for $1300 plus the freight.

If you plan the entire project correctly, in twenty years you may be able to open your wine cellar and point out that ‘67 Petrus to your envious friends.