Master of Wine Tastes a Near Forty-Year-Old Bordeaux

In this video, I'll discuss why some red wines age well and others do not, the importance of proper wine storage, and how to open and serve an aged wine. The back of the video will feature a tasting of a nearly 40-year-old Château Gruaud-Larose, one of the great properties of Bordeaux. For starters, the vast majority of wines are not made for long-term aging; they are best within a few years of the vintage. They highlight the primary fruit character that will only fade over time. Another smaller group of wines can maintain themselves over an extended period, but they will not gain complexity or nuance. The final group will gain positive attributes that were not present during the early stage of development. They don't just survive, they evolve. That said, even the longest-lived wines don't have endless aging potential; all have a peak window, then a period of decline. That said, some can remain enjoyable for years beyond their peak. Why do some wines age well and others do not? Any wine with good aging potential will have common traits: good structure and concentration, along with balance. For many red wines, it's a harmonious combination of extract, fruit concentration, acidity, oak, alcohol and tannin. No one component dominates in a well-balanced wine. Some wines made for long-term cellaring may be described as tight or closed when first released. This is not a matter of the balance being off, but simply that time is needed for the full potential to develop. A poor, out-of-balance wine will not become a great wine over time. If anything, the poor characteristics will become magnified with time. The best way to choose wines that age well is to go with top producers in established regions from good vintages. A bit of research upfront will pay dividends years down the road. Which other factors come into play? A major factor is grape variety or varieties, with some producing wines that are more likely to age well. Vintage is critical, as some wine regions are susceptible to wide weather variations from year to year. More on this during the wine tasting. Vine age and yields are another factor; generally, older vines and lower yields produce fruit with more concentration and depth, which can lead to better aging potential. And if you really want to go full-on wine geek mode, there’s terroir, all factors that impact a vine, there's soil type, water retention, nutrient availability, vineyard management, and on and on. And then comes the wine-making and maturation. How should wine be stored? Choosing the right wine to cellar away is the first step. The next is proper storage conditions to allow the wine to reach its full potential. The key considerations are a consistent cool temperature 12C to 16C,(54F-61F), moderate humidity around 70%, minimal UV light exposure, and away from constant vibration or strong aromas, especially fumes from chemicals. Store the bottles on their side to keep the corks moist and well sealed. Opening and serving an aged bottle of wine, step by step Remove or cut the capsule. If you cut the capsule, cut right below the flange. Check the condition of the cork; it should be firm, not crumbly Some old bottles, the cork can be fragile, and it can break with a standard opener open with a special extractor. The high-end version is called the Durand. I have the knock-off called the Kerhand Two-part cork extractor. When I created this video, it was in stock. I checked again after this video was created, and it's currently out of stock. https://www.amazon.com/KERHAND-Wine-O... 1988 Gruaud Larose is a Grand Cru Classe Second Growth from Saint-Julien on the Left Bank in Bordeaux. This vintage is 60% CS, 29% Merlot, 6% CF, 4% PV, and 1% Malbec. It spends 18 months in oak, 30% new. The blend and oak application will vary somewhat from year to year. I paid $30 for it in the early 1990s; the current price is around $200. #bordeaux #winecellar #winestorage #wineenthusiast #winelover #wineeducation #aged #old #winenot #wset #mwlife #masterofwine #bobpaulinski Chapter Markers: 00:00 - 01:21 Intro Aged Wines 01:22 - 03:03 Why do some wines age well? 03:04 - 03:38 Proper Wine Storage 03:39 - 07:55 Opening and Serving an Old Wine 07:56 - 10:49 Tasting 1988 Gruaud Larose 10:50 - 12:06 Retaste of Wine After Aeration