🍷 Ageing potential

Ageing potential is the period during which a wine can improve before it starts to lose quality. It shows how many years a wine can be kept.

Most wines on the market are meant to be drunk within a year or two of release. But some wines can improve for decades. What does it depend on? Tannins in reds, acidity in whites, and also sugar and alcohol play an important role. These substances work as natural protection: they slow change and let flavour develop. That is why sweet wines such as Sauternes and powerful red wines keep for a long time.

When the period ends, the wine begins to fade: the aroma weakens and the taste turns flat. Milk must be drunk within days, while wine in good conditions can improve for years, a key difference. Wine should be stored in a cool, dark place. Ageing potential is an estimate, not a guarantee: different bottles of the same wine can turn out differently. It is one aspect of wine ageing.