One of the things that makes wine stand out in the world of beverages is its ability to age and develop. It is a miraculous thing, tasting something older than you are (frustratingly, this gets more difficulty and expensive as you shuffle along the mortal coil). To taste a living thing formed by the elements 30 or more years before can be a truly remarkable experience – even a mind-boggling one. British wine writer, Tim Atkin, recently tweeted, “About to taste a Bual [style of Madeira] made in the year that the Battle of Gettysburg took place. Mind boggling.”

Of course, it can also be a frustration to taste and old wine and find it dead, past its prime, flat, oxidized, having fallen prey to the one of the many enemies nature throws at the bottle during its lifetime. But that makes the good ones even sweeter.

It seems that it was the Romans who were the first to work out that aging wine produced benefits. The famous Falernian wines needed 15 to 20 years before they were at their best. These were stored in earthenware jars, or amphorae. But after the fall of the Roman Empire, storing wine for this long – barring a few exceptions – didn’t happen again until the 17th century, with the development of strong glass bottles and corks.

Not all wines are meant for extended aging though. In fact, very few are, and even more so today, what with us following Mr. Mercury’s example and wanting it all and wanting it now. More and more wines are made for immediate enjoyment, with riper fruit, lower acidity, softer tannins and higher sugar levels. Typical examples are those disgusting chocolate/coffee flavoured wines – but that’s a rant for another day.

That said, this obsession with newness has fogged up the glasses of commonsense for many consumers. Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect example. There is nothing wrong with the zippy, fresh, bounciness of a brand new, out the box Sauvignon Blanc. Indeed, there may be nothing better to have on a hot summer’s day down by the sea. But I know there are many people who, as soon as a new vintage is released, spurn the older one as if it has done some sort of messianic 180 and is now just plain water.

There are those out there – myself included – who enjoy the taste of older Sauvignon Blanc. It takes on a nutty character, the zip slows down to a zoop, and you have a very different, altogether grown-up wine. Now that is not to everyone’s taste (and of course not all of them will make it that far) I’ll admit, but give a Sauvignon Blanc a year or two to mellow out, and not only will you be pleasantly surprised, you’ll also find some cracking deals.

The aging of wine is a complex thing. The closer you look at it the more scientific the explanation becomes, and since I’m an Eng Lit student and prefer mystery to microbes, it is an ongoing challenge to understand this part of viticulture.

Essentially the aging of wine is the combination and reaction between the various parts that constitute it: mainly sugar, acids, alcohol, phenolic compounds (several hundred chemical compounds that affect the colour and mouthfeel of wine, one of these being tannin) and oxygen.

Different wines will obviously have different levels of each of these, and thus will age differently. Red wines will have higher tannins, white wines a higher acidity, for example.

I was going to give you examples, but thought better of it. Simply put, it is a complex chemical reaction that takes place slowly over time, with each reaction altering the taste, aroma, and sensation of the wine. For further reading about polymerization – the bonding of phenols – and other fascinating tidbits, check out the wiki.

Some of these changes will be good for the wine: improve it, and make it more complex. Left too long and the changes will make the wine taste flat, dead, without any redeeming characteristics. Most wines aren’t going to age for years.

In South Africa some of our red wines from the 60’s and 70’s are still drinking incredibly. Last year I had a Zonnebloem Pinotage 1974, and it is still the best South African red wine I have tasted. Sweet wines age for much longer, due to the high sugar content. A KWV 1933 Jerepigo just won a trophy at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show.

Here’s a super duper rough guide to SA wine aging.

Unwooded whites: From release – 5 years
Wooded Whites: 3-10 years
Reds: 5-10+

That guide is rougher than a Glaswegian with a can of lager shouting obscene things about your sister, but it is a good place to start.

The best way to do it is to buy a case of twelve and drink one a year. Wine rules are helpful, but are made to be challenged. Roses don’t age? I had a 10 year one from Spain recently that was sublime.

Some simple tips if you are storing wine:

Keep it in a cool place. Looking at anything between 8-15 degrees, but just as important is that the temperature is constant. So even if you can’t get something super cold, rather make sure it is even all year round.

It’s best to keep wine in the dark. Excessive light can damage a wine. That’s why when dark glass came around in the 17th century, it helped the ability to age wine significantly.

It’s best to keep the bottles lying down. This is so the cork can stay moist. If the cork dries out oxygen can get in, and that can rapidly spoil the wine.

So obviously, humidity is important. You are looking at around 60-75% humidity as an optimum level. Too dry, and the cork dries out, too moist and everything gets covered in mildew.

Keep them somewhere without too much noise and ruckus. Wine, while it is aging, likes to be left in peace.

And finally, if you are sitting with some older wines, crack them open. Don’t wait for a special occasion; tasting old wines is occasion enough.

Have you had any amazing older wines? Let us know in the comments.