Here in the real world, we know that ageing wines isn’t always about labyrinthian caves, an extravagant set of iron keys or even excessive dust. Let’s leave such theatre to the Médoc and Hollywood. Ageing wines today is the hallmark of a confident wine collector, one who’s savvy enough to know that storing bottles – even if just for three to 10 years – can benefit the wine hugely, improving both its flavour and our enjoyment of it.
I remember a Barolo producer once telling me that after 20 years, all red wines start to taste the same, i.e. ‘old’. Well, whether you agree with that controversial statement or not, thankfully we’re not talking about 20 years here, we’re talking about wines that, in the space of the next decade, will really come into their own.
You don’t have to be holding up a paddle in an auction house to experience the dynamic shift in flavour that comes from this little extra rest. And in fact, the shorter the ageing period, the wider the options available to us.
While historically big red grapes with bold flavours and hefty tannins, the likes of cabernet sauvignon and tempranillo, have fared well in the ageing game, wines with robust fruit flavours can also cellar especially well. Just think about all those mind-blowing older rieslings. Try to think of wine as a new building. Does it have the foundations and structure in place to last, or will it crumble at the first hurdle? Then you have your answer.
For this assortment of styles, all of which have something to give back in the immediate next few years, it’s well worth looking at the ‘almost’ styles. Is there a grape variety that’s had particular success in a famous region (making it now prohibitively expensive) that’s now being made in a neighbouring region? Snap it up.
You can flip this theory, too. Is there a wine made in a region which has a history of making great wines, but with an alternative grape variety? Get ordering.
Here are a few specific cases in point. People, of course, love to age red Burgundy, and while it might not be as robust as other red grapes, the tertiary flavours of older pinot noir can be mesmerising. So, make sure you hold onto the best pinots from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, all of which will certainly benefit from extra time in the cellar. Talking of Burgundy, chardonnay is also proven to age well over five to 15 years. Even the once more affordable sites from the Mâconnais can be challenging on price these days, so how about Argentina, New Zealand and the US, all of which are cooking up a chardonnay storm with their generous buttery-ness and mid-term ageworthy-ness.
And from South Africa to Chile, there are plenty of exquisite, non-headline-grabbing wines that are the products of masters of their craft. For those more traditionally minded, France and Italy are still worth a second look. Little pockets of possibility are there, if you dedicate time to look. An up-and-coming star from an established region or a yet-to-be-lauded region for a top-notch variety, are, in my mind, the places where some of the greatest ageing wine rewards can be found.
Disclaimer alert: These bottles aren’t the kinds of wines from which you’ll make tonnes of cash, but based on flavour, after a few years they could certainly make you tonnes of friends. I know which I’d prefer.
12 wines for under $100 to cellar
2018 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany
8% alc. RRP 85, drink by 2038
Super-traditional spätlese with an ultra-charming bright and aromatic fragrance supplemented by a sweet pear and greengage start to the palate, a lift of elderflower and then finishing long and smooth with a cut of lime curd to really shake things up. Terrific.
2021 Crystallum Mabalel Pinot Noir, Walker Bay, South Africa
14% alc. RRP 78, drink by 2031
One of South Africa’s consistently top names for pinot noir and chardonnay, this Hemel-en-Aarde site is 700m high and surrounded by mountains, which explains the breezy tension and layered complexity found in this excellent wine.
2020 Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Moelleux, France
13% alc. RRP 90, drink by 2045
Sweet chenin blanc mastery, with a purity and vibrancy that’s hard to beat. Measured and cucumber-fresh with traces of honey and lemon sherbet, the fruit is bright and ripe with generous sweet pear, fleshy apricot and ultra-ripe pineapple with just a dusting of spiciness to end.
2020 Emiliana Coyam, Colchagua Valley, Chile
14% alc. RRP 68, drink by 2028
Ahead of its time when it first came out, this blend of nine varieties, with syrah and carmenère as the heroes, is biodynamically farmed. It possesses a mesmerising aroma of blackcurrant coulis and pencil shavings flowing into a confident but unshowy red wine with flavour at its heart.
2022 Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay, Kumeu, New Zealand
13% alc. RRP 88, drink by 2028
The most outlandish of this estate’s chardonnays, this single vineyard doesn’t disappoint. With a comforting lusciousness, it’s all squishy peaches and creamy vanilla with toasted hazelnuts and a zippy finish.
2018 Dirupi Valtellina Superiore, Lombardy, Italy
13.5% alc. RRP 82, drink by 2028
Nebbiolo is usually in it for the long haul, we know that, but over in Lombardy it turns up as ‘chiavennasca’, a delicious incarnation of the esteemed grape. Aged in French oak for a year or more, the fruit and finesse weave through the spice and freshness effortlessly.
2010 Viña Tondonia Rioja Reserva, Spain
13% alc. RRP 64 (375ml), drink by 2028
A mesmerising combination of elegance and age, offering the full gamut of deep-seated spices and iodine darkness all wrapped up in tannins that are already smooth as silk. The 70% tempranillo has softened a treat, revealing tobacco, earth and cloves. Half bottles cut the ageing time, a full bottle could last even longer.
2020 Domaine Font de Courtedune Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France
15% alc. RRP 95, drink by 2032
Vines from the Rayas side of the village are sandy, producing very finely textured wines. Based on grenache but with 13 varieties in total, this is vibrant and joyful with its classic power driving through the mid-palate.
2017 Broc Cellars Counoise, Mendocino, USA
13.5% alc. RRP 70, drink by 2027
Chris Brockway set up his own label nearly 20 years ago and has carved out a reputation for his innovative winemaking. This counoise is unique and beautifully rich, filled with a wild herb and leathery richness you’d expect from its natural home in the Rhône. Fabulous.
2018 Pietradolce Etna Rosso, Italy
14% alc. RRP 82, drink by 2028
Pure nerello mascalese crafted into a delightful pinot-esque wine, with intriguing autumnal aromas of bramble and earthy spices, succulent on the palate with a generous creamy body and this little grip of tannin and spice gives it verve and vibrancy.
2021 Daniel Chotard Sancerre Blanc Les Coutones, France
13% alc. RRP 60, drink by 2029
The famous deep clay of the soil here produces an altogether gutsier and powerful sauvignon blanc than many of its peers, which, despite its buckets of freshness, gives it the concentration and complexity to age well for a few years to come.
2020 Louis Boillot, Moulin-à-Vent Les Brussellions, France
13% alc. RRP 97, drink by 2032
This Beaujolais is already having its brooding moment, which means there’s plenty of fruity attitude on the way. Known for having a bigger weight than its peers, this has an acidity and salinity to it that practically guarantees gamay gorgeousness in the very near future.
This article first appeared in issue #74 of Halliday magazine – which may mean the above vintages are no longer available, although newer vintages will be and are still recommended. Become a member to receive all four issues of the magazine delivered to your door each year, digital access to over 180,000 tasting notes from 4000+ wineries and distilleries, and much more.
Expand your knowledge with Halliday Wine Academy
Halliday Wine Academy offers an in-depth view of the Australian and international wine landscapes. Select Introduction to Wine to learn about Australian wine and regions or choose from one of our Wines of the World courses to get to know international wines.Wines of the World: Europe explores the iconic wines, regions and laws of France, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Germany and Austria, while Wines of the World: Europe and Beyond delves deeper into Italy, Greece, the Americas, South Africa and New Zealand.
