WineXpert Aging time

[jumby]

How long do you normally let your wine age before drinking it?

 

[Boatboy24]

Welcome to WineMakingTalk.

For every winemaker on this site, you'll get 2-3 answers for that question. The answer really is 'it depends'. Early on in this hobby, I didn't let things age too much, but I made (and still make) much more than I consume in an effort to build a supply that I could age longer before drinking. Back then, it was 4-6 months for red wines, and 3-5 for white wines. Now that I have a bit of a supply, reds go 9-12 months and whites go 6+. I'm still building a supply in an effort to add more time into that schedule though. Ultimately, I'd like to be at 9+ months for white wines and 12-18 months for red. I'd go to 1 year for white and 2 for red, but simply don't have the space to store that much wine.

So ultimately, 'it depends'. It depends on how much you consume/give away. It depends on how much space you have. It depends on how patient you are. It depends on your storage conditions, and on and on and on.

 

[sour_grapes]

I cannot improve on Jim's answer. I can, however, directly answer your question as to how long *I* age. I am planning on 18 mos. for reds, with some "sneak peaks" starting at a year.

 

[wineh]

When I started making wine, I asked a friend that very question. His reply was "I would never drink a wine that hasn't aged AT LEAST 3 days. "
When I bottle wine, I put two cases away for some aging, but I leave the "loose six" handy and sample them over the first 6 months. Aging is a neat process, and I wouldn't want to miss out on the changes that happen in those first 6 months. The changes are quite remarkable.

 

[richmke]

I am hoping for 9-12 months in the carboy, and another year in the bottle. I'm guessing once they are in the bottle, 1/2 will be gone in a year.

 

[tanddc]

When I started making wine, I asked a friend that very question. His reply was "I would never drink a wine that hasn't aged AT LEAST 3 days. "
When I bottle wine, I put two cases away for some aging, but I leave the "loose six" handy and sample them over the first 6 months. Aging is a neat process, and I wouldn't want to miss out on the changes that happen in those first 6 months. The changes are quite remarkable.

I was going to say:" as long as I can but never long enough" but I like wineh's answer better. I'm not impatient, I am just enjoying the change over the first 6 months.

Now if I can just get one to last past 6 months...

 

[Brian55]

I cannot improve on Jim's answer. I can, however, directly answer your question as to how long *I* age. I am planning on 18 mos. for reds, with some "sneak peaks" starting at a year.

I'll second this, after a few years of opening wines at various stages, the reds need at least a year and really start to shine at about 18+ months. I haven't made many whites, but the ones I've made were already nice at 6 months.

 

[JohnT]

Early on, I would age just long enough for it to be drinkable. Sometimes under 6 months. The wife came up with a number of funny slogans such as .."we serve no wine before 9am" and "last Wednesday was a very good year".

I took some doing, and a whole lot of self control, but I eventually got myself to the point where I bulk age at least 18 months before bottling, and have some wines that are 15+ years old.

 

[Thig]

I generally don't bottle anything until it has been in the carboy a year minimum.

 

[heatherd]

I started making wine January 2013, and began with an early drinker. That first year I didn't produce a ton of volume, around 10 batches and most were 6-8 week kits. So I drank stuff early because I didn't have a stockpile. I made a few higher-end kits like a Super Tuscan and Malbec that I didn't drink early.

This year, I can go down to the basement and pull up the 2013's that survived and they are great - much smoother and nuanced than when they were young.

And this year I have ramped up production so I am doing 3-7 batches at a time and taking longer with the process. I am up to 28 batches and will hit 31 by the end of the year (as a two year total). As a result I can bottle stuff, stick it in the basement, and forget about it.

I am sure an extra year would be good for all of the reds - hopefully I will get there in 2015.

It's an evolving process....

Heather


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[GEM]

Most of us have a somewhat limited carboy or other storage capacity. A common practice, and the one I use, is to bulk age in a carboy for just short of a year. That is because I need the carboy for our new batches. I usually bottle in August so that the carboys are ready for my new batches, which usually are started in late September or early October. I use fresh grapes, my own and others, so that is when they usually are ready. Anyway, I bottle the wines and try to let them sit in the bottle for at least a year. Maybe some will last, who knows. I think most reds do best at least aged three years, but mine get two years. Hope this helps. Cheers, Gary


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[jumby]

Thanks for all the great answers! I only make red wine and I'm hoping to age it for at least a year.

 

[Pittsburgh127]

So, with all this aging going on, do you put additional sulfites in the wine before its bottled? Everything I read says to add sulfites if you are not going to consume the wine within 6 months. I've never added more sulfites over what is included in the kits and I don't really want to.

What do you do with the wines you age?

 

[jumby]

I converted a sauna in my basement into a wine cellar. I haven't yet added a cooling unit. For now it holds a pretty consistent temp between 65-68 degrees.

 

[Runningwolf]

I converted a sauna in my basement into a wine cellar. I haven't yet added a cooling unit. For now it holds a pretty consistent temp between 65-68 degrees.

What a great idea. I bet it's really pretty. I look forward to seeing some pictures.

 

[Runningwolf]

So, with all this aging going on, do you put additional sulfites in the wine before its bottled? Everything I read says to add sulfites if you are not going to consume the wine within 6 months. I've never added more sulfites over what is included in the kits and I don't really want to.

What do you do with the wines you age?

If you have not added any sulfites in the last three months and you plan on storing this wine for a long time I would add another 1/4 tsp. You will lose a good deal of your free S02 while you are racking and bottling your wine.

 

[GaDawg]

Doesn't the answer depend? It you only make high end reds the age answer will be very different than if you only make Orchard Breezin