How-To: Recognize Aged Wine

Taste is a big clue to determining how well a wine has aged. This is complex and will be left to the master sommeliers. For the rest of us, there are two other important ways to recognize how a wine has aged:

1. By smell: Wines dull as they age and are not as "bright" in smell. 
The “aroma” will smell new & fresh in young wines. In contrast, older wines often smell "off" or even dull. We call these aromas “bouquets."

2. By sight: Wines change color as they age.
Before you sip, tip your glass forward, almost sideways, and look at the color of your wine.

Whites darken over time. They start off with a greenish tint, transform through yellow and then gold, and finally become brown.

Green à Yellow à Gold à Brown                                       

Conversely, reds lighten over time. They start off purple, become red, then brick/orange-ish, and, like white wine, finally become brown.

Purple à Red à Brick/Orange-ish à Brown

In addition, you'll begin to notice sediment in bottles that are aged. This occurs mainly in red, where the pigmentation from the grape skins settles to the bottom of the bottle.

So, when we talk about a wine "aging well," a big factor is how long it retains its youthful colors. If you purchase a 2009 red wine that is already brick/orange, you know it hasn't aged well. Likewise, a 2006 white wine that retains its yellow coloring has held up very well to the aging process.

Go ahead, try it for yourself, and let us know what you see in your next glass.