Aging is another aspect of the winemaking world where art and science collide. The chemist in me knows that there have been decades of scientific studies which characterize the hundreds of molecules that work together to give different wines their flavors and, more importantly, how those molecules change over time. I definitely nerd out over those studies. However, I also know that not every winemaker has access to the hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment needed to conduct those studies so most of us just wing it, using our own perceptions of how the wines change over time to determine when it’s “ready” to drink. Or maybe that’s just an excuse winemakers can use to taste their products on a regular basis…who can say for sure?
When we first embarked on our winemaking journey, I wasn’t sure exactly how well our wines would hold up over time and if the wines would improve, stay the same, or – worst case scenario – become undrinkable! Fortunately, we found ourselves in an unexpected category where both the young and aged wines were fantastic, just in different ways. Our younger wines are much more fruit forward than their aged counterparts, with acid, sweetness, and fruit notes mellowing into subtle oak flavors. Both young and old are imminently drinkable but deliver different experiences and personal preferences will have a major impact in terms of which wine an individual will want to drink.
Another thing that is certain is that our tests of aging these wines has only just begun, and it will be interesting to see what happens when these wines age even longer. Who knows, maybe one day we will start releasing reserve vintages of our wines!
