By Jade Palmer, Krog Wine Manager
I’m here to demystify the world of wine collection for ya! Most wines are meant to be consumed within a few years of their release, but if you know what to look for, you can find some great gems to start your collection.
Cool, Jade. What do I need?
- A place that is dark, constant temperature, and constant humidity.
- $30 per bottle. Trust me, I got you.
- A willingness to wait for the *right time*
Mmmmmk what does a wine need in order to age well?
Wines need a few structural components in order to survive lengthy bottle aging:
- Alcohol or residual sugar
- Tannins (that drying sensation in your mouth when you drink certain red wines)
- Acidity (makes your mouth water)
Here are a few wines that we carry that are delicious now, but have the potential to be amazing given some bottle age. Drink them now or hold them for a few years, they’re all delicious!
Karthauserhof Bruno Riesling Kabinett - $26.99
This Mosel Riesling has high acidity and residual sugar (not too much!) to keep this wine kicking for years. Right now, it’s full of white flowers, green apple, white peach, and petrol aromas. Given some time, the fruit will become more stewed/baked with the petrol aromas becoming a little more apparent. Today, it’s a bowl of fresh orchard fruit. 5-10 years from now, it’s like freshly baked apple pie. Enjoy now with your favorite Asian dish, or later on with a savory, spicy pork dish.
Forlorn Hope Nacre Semillon - $26.99
Semillon is an incredible grape for aging because it only shows its best qualities when it has been aged. In its youth, it can be extremely delicate and light, showing almost no fruit aromas. When it’s aged, it’s full of beautiful aromas of honeycomb, hazelnut, and vanilla. This 2014 is current vintage, but you can absolutely lay it down for a few more years and let those tertiary notes continue to develop. Enjoy with anything involving a heavy, creamy sauce.
Barnard-Griffin Merlot - $17.99
Merlot is great and doesn’t deserve the bad rap it’s gotten since Sideways came out. Today, this wine is big and plush with red and black plum notes mingled with baking spices. Give this wine 10 years and you’ll get a medley of stewed and dried fruits, baking spices, leather, and mocha. Bottle age will also give the tannins some time to chill out - they’re bold right out the gate. Pair with tender cuts of steak or a mushroom-based dish.
Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Carmenere - $23.99
I had the privilege of tasting this wine as a current release (2022) and as an aged wine (2005) and it ages so gracefully! Carmenere is Chile’s flagship variety, and this bottle is a beautiful example of it. Today, this bottle is teeming with fresh black fruit, roasted bell pepper, and coffee aromas. Give this wine 10 years and you’ll be greeted with notes of pepper jelly, dried fruits, leather, dark earth, and tobacco leaf. Grab a couple of bottles, drink one now, and drink another in a few years to compare! Pair this with lamb and mint sauce.
