Buying a wine to age is not as easy as you'd think. A lot of people think that you can just buy any wine, age it, and it will turn into something fabulous. Not so. Especially nowadays, most wines are being made so that people don't have to wait, so that we can just open it whenever we feel like and it will taste delicious immediately. After all, this is the age of the "RIGHT NOW." We freak out about waiting more than 10 minutes to get through security at the airport, when someone doesn't pick up their phone by the third ring and when our internet pages load any slower than immediately. This does not describe a group of people who are going to wait several years to enjoy the wine they just bought, and winemakers around the world have bowed to the demand.
I did some research online. I found out that whites tend not to be aging wines. But neither are most reds. And most wines that should age well start off expensive, and then by the time you're ready to crack into them they're worth a heck of a lot more, because you had the patience to wait. But there's no guarantee that an expensive wine will age well either. Certain wines, usually wines containing higher amounts of sugar are what age best. Originally I wanted to age a wine for our 20 year anniversary, but most of the wines that do well waiting around that long are ports or sherries, and I wanted wine.
I had ordered some wine after a recent wine tasting and was chatting with the owner of the shop about my desire for a good aging wine. He brought me to a very reasonably priced wine that should age very well about 10 years. Alright, I decided to go for it. A 10 year wedding anniversary is definitely something to celebrate!
It's a good thing I took a picture of the bottle because I couldn't for the life of me remember what I'd bought. And I can't just go look at the bottle, because in order to keep Chef Hubby and I from accidentally drinking it before we're supposed to, I put it in a wine box and taped the top shut.
Just in case this isn't enough deterrent, after all one or both of us might (in a state of hazy boozyness) forget why I taped this wine box shut. So I put a little note on the top too.
Woo!!!
Storing the wine to age was easier than I thought too. I asked Chef Hubby what I should do and he said to keep it in a place where the temperature won't fluctuate much (not that we have anywhere to put it but a corner in our apartment, so check) and turn it on its side so that the cork doesn't dry out. And check. Stored.
Now I just have to wait 10 years. Well. 9 years, 6 months, 1 week and 3 days. I can't remember the last time I had to wait that long for something. If ever.
I did some research online. I found out that whites tend not to be aging wines. But neither are most reds. And most wines that should age well start off expensive, and then by the time you're ready to crack into them they're worth a heck of a lot more, because you had the patience to wait. But there's no guarantee that an expensive wine will age well either. Certain wines, usually wines containing higher amounts of sugar are what age best. Originally I wanted to age a wine for our 20 year anniversary, but most of the wines that do well waiting around that long are ports or sherries, and I wanted wine.
I had ordered some wine after a recent wine tasting and was chatting with the owner of the shop about my desire for a good aging wine. He brought me to a very reasonably priced wine that should age very well about 10 years. Alright, I decided to go for it. A 10 year wedding anniversary is definitely something to celebrate!
Just in case this isn't enough deterrent, after all one or both of us might (in a state of hazy boozyness) forget why I taped this wine box shut. So I put a little note on the top too.
Storing the wine to age was easier than I thought too. I asked Chef Hubby what I should do and he said to keep it in a place where the temperature won't fluctuate much (not that we have anywhere to put it but a corner in our apartment, so check) and turn it on its side so that the cork doesn't dry out. And check. Stored.
Now I just have to wait 10 years. Well. 9 years, 6 months, 1 week and 3 days. I can't remember the last time I had to wait that long for something. If ever.
Love this. Need to do this.
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