🍷 Ageing potential
Also known as: ageing potential, aging potential, cellaring potential, ageability, keeping potential, how long wine can age
The period during which wine in the bottle can develop before it begins to fade; it depends on composition and storage.
Ageing potential (also ageing capacity or keeping potential) is the time during which a wine in the bottle can develop rather than just grow old. There is no single number for it: wine keeps changing in the bottle, and whether that helps depends on its make-up and on how it is stored.
A 2021 review in Molecules points out that, unlike many foods, wine generally gets better the longer it stays in the bottle. The cause is slow reactions started by oxygen creeping in through the closure. Pigments link up, tannins condense, new aromas appear. The same reactions can also make unwanted smells, so wine never stands still.
A 2023 review shows what gives wine its staying power. Wines rich in tannin are reported to age for longer. How easily a wine oxidises in the bottle depends largely on its phenolic make-up. Low pH, which goes with high acidity, speeds the loss of large tannin molecules, especially in warmth.
Heat is the quickest thief of potential. High temperatures change wine irreversibly and speed ageing, and 12–13 °C is widely accepted as ideal for storage. In Malbec, tannins stayed higher at 15 °C than at 25 °C. AWRI adds that a year at 30 °C already brings off flavours.
Wine does not always gain from long years. In one study white and rosé wines clearly lost aroma intensity after 18 months in the bottle. So ageing potential is an estimate, not a promise. For the process, see aging of wine; for steady cold, see storage temperature and wine storage and trade.
Facts
| Temperature | 12–13 °C is widely accepted as ideal for storage; warmth speeds ageing 1 |
|---|---|
| Taste | With good storage tannins soften; white and rosé lost aroma intensity after 18 months 1 |
| Acidity | Low pH and warmth speed the loss of large tannin molecules 1 |
| Main use | Lets wine develop: pigments polymerise, tannins condense, new aromas form 2 |
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Ageing potential → affects → 🍷 Tannins ← contains ← 🍷 Wine
Links
- What it affects
- 🍷 Tannins, 🍷 Acidity
- Part of
- 🏷️ Aging of wine
- Wine and milk
- 📅 Shelf life
Frequently asked questions
What does ageing potential mean in wine?
It is the time during which a wine in the bottle can develop before it fades. Reviews describe it as depending on the wine's phenolics, tannin and storage conditions, not as a single fixed number.
Which wines are best for long ageing?
Wines rich in tannin are reported to age for longer. Susceptibility to oxidation in the bottle also depends heavily on the wine's phenolic make-up.
Does storage temperature change how fast wine ages?
Yes. High temperatures irreversibly change wine and speed ageing. A review calls 12–13 °C ideal for storage, and AWRI found off flavours after a year at 30 °C (86 °F).
Can I keep white or rosé wine for years?
Be careful. In a study cited in a 2023 review, white and rosé wines clearly lost aroma intensity after 18 months in the bottle, with tropical fruit, floral and berry notes fading.
Is it true that every bottle should be cellared for years?
No. Wine in the bottle changes over time, sometimes for the better and sometimes with unwanted smells. Shelf life is hard to judge, so ageing potential is an estimate rather than a guarantee.
Similar
Sources
- Zhang D. et al. A Review on Wine Flavour Profiles Altered by Bottle Aging. Molecules 2023, 28(18):6522
- Bottle Aging and Storage of Wines: A Review. Molecules 2021, 26(3):713
- AWRI. Technical Note TN09: The effects of heat and light on wine during storage