🏷️ Vin de garde
Wine that gets better after many years in the bottle.
Vin de garde is French for wine for keeping. It means a wine that gets better with years in the bottle. When young it may be tough and closed, but after many years it opens up complex aromas and softness.
For a wine to age well it needs certain qualities: high acidity, enough tannins, concentration and good balance. These come from suitable grapes, a good vintage, low yields and often old vines. Classic examples of age-worthy wines are red Bordeaux and Barolo, and among whites Riesling and some Loire wines.
Not every wine needs cellaring: most wines are best drunk within a few years of release. Vin de garde belongs among wine classifications, but it is not an official term, more a description. Keeping needs suitable conditions: cool, dark, still and with the right humidity. Ageing in bottle and the vintage, meaning the year of harvest, play a big part here.
Links
- Part of
- 🏷️ Wine classifications
- Where it applies
- 🗺️ French wine
- Similar and different
- 🏷️ Bottle ageing, 🏷️ Vintage, 🏷️ Old vines
Frequently asked questions
What does vin de garde mean?
A wine meant for long keeping that improves with the years.
Which wines age well?
Those with high acidity, tannin and concentration, such as red Bordeaux, Barolo and Riesling.
Should all wines be cellared?
No, most wines are best drunk within a few years of release.
Similar
🏷️ Cru Bourgeois · 🏷️ Grand cru · 🏷️ Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 · 🏷️ American Viticultural Area · 🏷️ Vintners Quality Alliance · 🏷️ Wine of Origin
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.