These are the reasons why we go into extensive costs to age our wines in perfect condition in our temperature-controlled cellar, so that you can enjoy when we release them. We also invested in an extensive wine library where we age many of our wines over a decade (see pictures above of our library and international cellar).
To take an exclusive look at our library list click here. Ordering via email only at wine@herzog.co.nz
Which wines are worthy of ageing?
The ageing of wine is an important element in getting the most from it but, contrary to popular opinion, only a small subgroup of wines benefit from extended bottle ageing. The great bulk of wine sold today, red as well as white and pink, is designed to be drunk within a year, or at most two, of bottling.
Even among finer wines, different wines mature at different rates, according to individual vintage characteristics and how they were made. Such factors as barrel fermentation for whites and barrel maturation for wines of any colour, play a part in the likely life cycle of the wine[1]. In general, the lower a wine’s ph, the longer it is capable of evolving. Among reds, generally speaking the higher the level of flavour compounds and phenolics, particularly tannins, the longer it is capable of being aged[2].
We also believe that upfront balance in a wine lends to more graceful and integrated ageing.
Factors affecting ageing
Storing wine in particular conditions affects the rate at which wine ages; the lower the temperature, the slower the maturation. Conversely, ageing can be hastened by stripping a young wine of its solids (by very heavy filtration or fining, for example[3]), and by storing wine in warmer conditions. The more slowly a wine matures, the greater the complexity of the flavour compounds that go to make up its bouquet.
Tips on Aging Wine
If you live in a place where your home exceeds 25 °C (70 °F), using a wine fridge is essential. It’s been shown that fluctuating temperatures will accelerate aging at a rate of 4 times faster than the consistent climate of a cellar. If you’re serious and hope to store wines long term, you will need to create a climate-controlled space with a constant 13° C (55° F) and 75% humidity.
It is worthwhile to invest in large format wines as they age more slowly because of the smaller proportion of oxygen in the bottle.
To take an exclusive look at our large format library wines click here.
If under cork, make sure you store the wine on its side to keep the cork from drying out and shriveling.
Useful links:
https://www.jancisrobinson.com/ocw/detail/ageing, https://winefolly.com/tutorial/cellar-wine-guide/
[1] Applies to most of our wines
[2] Applies to all of our wines
[3] Herzog wines are unfined (vegan) and mostly unfiltered