To Age or Not to Age, That Is the Question.
Does wine get better with age? Many people lead you to believe that’s true. Let’s get to the bottom of that age-old question!
We’re coming to you straight from the McBride Sisters HQ with hard facts! No doubt you’ve heard that wine always improves with age and that you can age any bottle. Au contraire! Age doesn’t improve or worsen wine but changes the flavor, mouthfeel, and color. It’s important to note that wine has more aging potential if the grapes contain less water before harvest.
However, not all wines are made to age. Luckily for us and you, there’s no need to wait to open McBride Sisters Collection wines! Why wait 20 years to open a bottle you love! We appreciate the wine that was intended to be aged, like White Burgundy (Chardonnay) or Bordeaux (which is similar to our Red Blend), but unlike those wines, we've made it so that the wines you love can be consumed now, like our wines in can and under screw cap. Now, for all you age-curious wine connoisseurs, let’s debunk the varieties that have the ability to be aged...and well!
Red Wines
Wines with a low pH have a greater ability to age. Red wines have a higher level of flavor compounds, like tannins. This increases the likelihood that a wine will be able to age.
White Wines
White wines with a high amount of extract and acidity have the longest aging potential because acidity acts as a preservative and because white wines have a lower amount of phenolic compounds. These wines have good aging potential: most Chardonnays can be aged for 2–6 years and Rieslings can be aged for 2–30 years, which is great news for all you white wine-lovers out there!
Rosé and Sparkling Wines
Generally, Rosé’s aging potential is limited through skin contact. After chilling Black Girl Magic Rosé, get pouring! There’s no need to wait. Similar can be said of our McBride Sisters Collection Brut Rosé. Sparkling wines are typically bottled ready-to-enjoy, so pop those bottles!
Put Your Palette to the Test
When wines are young, we taste their primary and secondary notes associated with winemaking techniques, like the creamy nuances in our McBride Sisters Collection Chardonnay from Malolactic fermentation. As wines age, we notice tertiary flavors developing. We also notice that fruit flavors deteriorate rapidly. For example, bold notions of fresh fruit gradually become more subdued and reminiscent of dried fruit.
Acids and alcohols are constantly reacting to form new compounds. The proportion of alcohol, acids, and sugars stay the same, while the flavors continue to change.
Texture, Darling
Texturally, the lines also change. It is said that dry, aged white wines can become almost viscous and oily, while reds tend to feel smoother. Over time, phenolic compounds like tannins become sediment, which changes the texture. We love a full-bodied, smooth Black Girl Magic Red Blend paired alongside Blue Cheese Steak Crostini, a McBride Sisters favorite. Scroll down to grab the recipe!
Color You Impressed?
Color change is the result of slow oxidation. You can tell how young wine is by its color. For example, ruby-red wine is quite young, and as it ages, it will adapt a tawny hue. The amount of air left in the neck of the sealed bottle and how permeable the closure affects the oxidation rate.
Via Wine Enthusiast
Stop by our online Wine Shop to fulfil all your wine wishes. Store a McBride Sisters Collection Chardonnay for later in the year or pop a bottle of our Sparkling Brut Rosé as a fun way to beat the heat! Cheers to that!