Suggestion for a Wine that Will Age

Well, ... when u say "i want a wine that will age" ... what u really mean is "a wine that won't taste like sh@# down the road of time". Us wine lovers like to say is for the wine to become more complex with time (aka "age"). I, too, am a newbie to wine with only six 'true' years--in terms on knowing what to avoid/what to buy-- of actual collecting (if that is one calls it,...i seem to drink it faster than i can collect).

But there is nothing like having a certain holiday/special day and opening up that one bottle that u have been wanting to open but didn't until now. Unfortunately, one has to spend a little more to obtain a bottle that will "cellar well" ie age. don't be thinking that you will only spend 19.99 for a bottle and expect it to be a monster wine in terms of long finish, deep dark plum flavors, and so on.

You may want to start with Torbreck products like Runrig, or Descendent, but those ones aren't cheap ($230, and $144 , respectively) but they are f^&*ing outstanding and u won't be disappointed at all. Consider a cab sav from Caymus, too, especially the Special Reserve. These listed will all age well for years to come AS LONG AS U STORE THEM PROPERLY. ....anyways, .... (the blind leading the blind...)

... most 'cellarable' reds taste great now but will even taste better with time, ... it is a matter of being patient and to leave that certain bottle alone for time to enhance the flavors ...

My suggestion would be Bordeaux. The wines on the shelves right now will be mostly 2005, with the 2006's trickling in over the next year. 2005 was an outstanding vintage, which will age very well. 2006 was not as good as 2005, but should be fairly good anyway. With red Bordeaux, especially 2005, there are many that will break your bank, but the beauty of Bordeaux is that there are gems at almost any price point. My suggestion is to pick a bottle price you can afford, and look for Bordeaux in that range. Do a little surfing for ratings and recommendations on the wines you find. With 2004 and 2006, I would stick to classified estates, but 2005 had some wonderful wines produced by estates that are rarely heard from.

Bordeaux ages very well. In fact you may not like it so much on your first or 5th anniversary, but by the 10th and 20th, you'll be glad you bought it. That said, cheaper Bordeaux will age more quickly--it may drink better in 1-5 years and not be so good 15 years from now.

Bordeaux goes well with food. I'm not sure I would pair it with a big tomato-saucey Italian dish, but a nice chicken marsala, or veal dish, would work well.

Italian wines would be the natural choice to go with Italian food, but I'm not as familiar with what's available. From my experience, most good Italian wines can be wonderful at 5-12 years old, but I wouldn't hold them for 15 or 20. Top Barolos might be an exception, but I have no experience there.

With wines from the new world, such as California, Australia, and Chile, you will have a tougher time finding wines that will age over 10-20 years without breaking the bank. New World wines also often do not pair with food as well. They tend to be better showcase wines to drink by themselves, or with something simple like a grilled steak.

quote:

- A red that goes well with Italian
Would that be your wife?

- One that will continue to age well for at least 25 years
She should

- One that won't break the bank
No comment

But if you want to enjoy a wine now and in the future, look for something that's drinkable now. Bordeaux ages but the most age-worthy can be pricey and tannic today. Not all, but many. Chateauneuf du Pape is great for current drinking but except for a few expensive ones, I'm not sure they'll give you the longevity you want. If you want something sweet, the Loire valley is a great source of excellent sweet wine that ages for many years and drinks well at all stages. Or Sauternes.

Then there is Italy. If you are thinking tomato sauce, I'm not sure Bordeaux works all that well. So you look at Italian wines. Barolo and barbaresco age wonderfully. Not so great while young for the most part - the 1996's are still tight. From Tuscany, you may have better luck with some Chianti Classico or Brunello.

What I would do is look at Spain. Specifically Rioja. You can find many wines that aren't over priced. There is no wine that ages better or longer. In terms of longevity, it matches anything from France or Italy. It tends to have acidity that makes it work well with Italian food. And they are drinkable on release - the bodegas don't generally release the wines if they are not ready for drinking, although that is actually changing these days. Or Ribera del Duero - the wines have also proven to age well. And I wouldn't recommend any other areas in Spain for long term aging at this point. Bierzo may be one, but it's relatively new. Priorat isn't a sure bet at all. Toro might be OK if you pick carefully. But Rioja is easiest and probably cheapest.

One thing you have to consider is storage of the wine. You can't simply stuff it in a closet or put it on a shelf someplace and expect it to be drinkable in 20 or 25 years, or even in 5 years for that matter if the conditions are not close to ideal. That means a relatively constant temperature of 55 to 60 degrees (a bit higher is OK for a few years, but not for 25), no light, no vibrations. If you don't have such a place to keep the wine, you'd be better off putting the money in a CD and using the interest to buy a nice bottle every year.

That aside, what do you consider "breaking the bank"? For most of the loonies on this board (including me), that probably means $100 a bottle, perhaps a lot more.

Also, there aren't a lot of wines that will be drinkable in a year and will age 25 years, even in ideal conditions.

Ogopogo, I agree re: Torbreck wines, I have a bottle of RunRig in my cellar, but to tell the truth I think it is very overpriced. I had a Moss Wood Cab Sav last week, it the 2005 vintage so a bit young but it was unbelievable and only $100 per bottle. Even better you can order it from the winery online. The Moss Wood is rated as Exceptional by Langtons, wherest the RunRig is only rated Excellent.

... i don't think that i have ever had Moss Wood products before, ... i just googled it and it sound good. I will have to get some ...but I live in Canada. Apparently we cannot import any alcohol online etc without a using a distributor which sucks for us .... As i am writing this I just finished a bottle of Cakebread cellars cab sav and it tasted a lot better one day later interesting enuf, ... anyways.... just for fun my wife and i enjoying a bottle of Marilyn cav sav ($66) . I occasionally buy marilyn merlot for the novelty ($35) ..... OK people, .... u can all laugh at me now but I have a soft spot for blonds

I think Chateauneuf or some Australians to open up from 1, 5, and maybe 10 years down the road and then keep some Bordeaux or Burgundy for the15, 20 and 25 year mark, specifically from the 2005 vintages for the latter two regions.

Hoya,

Yes, the "enjoyable in one or 25 year" issue is a tricky one. Shiraz might be an option, that shows well at many stages, but the examples made to age are pricey. Classic Italian wines like Brunello di Montalcino are wonderful Italian wines, built to age, but don't show well young.

I'd look at French Sauternes. Here is the con for you:

It's not red (it's a sweet white wine)

Here are the pros:

It's a sweet white wine, good with a wide range of desserts and cheeses.

If stored properly, it ages well, and tastes good at all points along the way, even from non premier makers.

Wine lovers of all experience levels can enjoy this wine.

Many are very affordable.

Take a look at Sauternes (or the neighboring Barsac) wines from 2005, like Doisy-Vedrines (my pick), Doisy-Daene, or Lamothe-Guignard, which can be found for under 50 bucks or so for a full size bottle, or Guiraud, for about twice that. Plus, if you're really strapped for cash, Sauternes is easy to find in half size, 375ml bottles for less cash, and are perfectly sized for two people.

Hoya,

Another idea, and still not a red: Vintage Champagne. If you time it right, you can pick up some fantastic bubbly for a 50 spot that will taste great now, and age well for many years, drinking well along the way. I picked up a couple bottles of 1995 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires for $55 bucks this morning on discount. I'd expect it to drink like a rockstar well into the 2020s for sure. 1996 was a great year as well, and if you do your shopping, there are great deals to be had out there.

Tua Rita Giusto di Notri

OR

Any one of many exceptional Barolo (or is it Baroli for plural? )

When one is looking to pair wines with foods from a specific country, I think it's best to pair wines (if at all possible) from that country.

quote:

Here's what I'm looking for, ideally:
- A red that goes well with Italian
- One that will continue to age well for at least 25 years
- One that won't break the bank

HoyaVintner,

Here are my thoughts to your question from wines in my collection. I have included APPROXIMATE market prices for you to have a better idea.

A red that goes well with Italian:
1995 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia
Approximately $50 and drinking quite nicely now

One that will continue to age well for at least 25 years
2000 Château Lagrange St. Julien
Approximately $100 and will go until 2030 IF STORED PROPERLY

One that won't break the bank
Something from Spain like:
2005 Celler Can Blau Montsant Mas de Can Blau - $40
2004 Bodegas LAN Rioja Edición Limitada - $45
They are really a joy to drink

Enjoy,

djdaqm

Hoya -
The previous posters have provided some good suggestions. However, I think the time horizon (> 15 years) is a little too far IMO for a newbie to try and find bottles that fit that criteria. I also don't know if your goal of opening a bottle in 5 years, 10 years, etc. is to commemorate your anniversary or just something that you want to enjoy together at a future time. If you are getting married this year or next year, many of the wines of the 2008 and 2009 vintages that can age well (10 years+) won't be available until 3 years from now.

But if you would like to buy a variety of bottles that can age well over time during your marriage, there are a number of great options. Currently, there are a number of 2005 Bordeaux, 2005 Burgundy, and 2004 Barolos on the shelves now that can age (10+ years).

If you want special wines for your anniversaries (1-9), you can purchase older wines through auction (e.g., winebid.com). Some wines to focus on: 1997 and 1999 Brunelli, 2000 Bordeaux, 2000 and 2001 Barolo, 2001 Chateaneuf du Pape, etc.

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage.