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Aging of your wine
One of the questions we get asked all the time is about aging of your wine. The simple answer is that it is ready when you are. It is ready to consume after it’s in the bottle but a little extra time in the bottle will yield some great flavours if you give it some time. Now seeing that everyone has a different pallet for some folks a new wine is just perfect while others want the flavours to mellow out a bit.
99% of all wine is meant to be consumed within the first five years after bottling. That means that only 1% of all wine created should be cellared for many years. These wines have the preservatives, body, tannins, acidity, alcohol and of course sugar that will allow the wine to reach its full potential with a lot of time in the bottle. All of our kits that we have available at Vintners Cellar Cochrane fall into the first category. They are meant to be consumed within 5 years.
Our concentrate kits, the Gold Medallion, mature faster than the full juice varieties. White wines are ready (both the Gold Medallion and the full juice kits) faster than our red wines.
So how do you know when it’s ready to drink? Here is what advise we offer to our customers. Take the wine home and the part bottle left over from bottling should be consumed within the next day or so. Take note of the flavour, smell and how it feels in your mouth. Then after some time (this is where your ability to wait comes in, some can wait to the next day, some the next week, while others can wait a month or more), we think a couple of weeks is nice starting point, taste another bottle and compare it to the first one. Now repeat the process noting the flavours each time until you find the right amount of time between bottling and when it tastes great to you.
Vintner’s Cellar has come up with these guidelines that suggest when the wine will reach its prime:
Red Wines
Barbera, Malbec, Shiraz, Vieux Chateau Du Roi and Zinfandel
9-12 months
Cabernet Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pino Noir, Sangiovese, Valpolicella
6-9 months
Chianti, Lambrusco, Merlot
3-6 months
Bergamais
1-3 months
White Wines
Variety
Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Chilean Trio, Gewurztraminer
3-6 months
Riesling (all varieties), Piesporter, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano, White Bordailles, Zinfandel Blush
1-3 months
Barrel Club
We enjoyed a bottle of Amarone that was aged in an oak barrel from our sister store up in Sherwood Park (part of their Barrel Club). We had it on the wine rack for 6 months and gave it a try the other night. WOW what a difference a few months can make to a bottle of wine. It was spectacular, lots of flavour, and a mellow feel in your mouth.
We are looking forward to trying our Barrel Club creations! The Borolo is just about ready to hit the large stainless steel fermenter and we will be starting the Cabernet Sauvignon right after.
We have a few spots available for the next barrel club selection which is the Old Vine Merlot from Lodi California. From our experience and from what our sister stores are saying the wines that get to spend some time in the barrel truly benefit from the additional treatment. Why not get your batch started today? As soon as we reach our 10 participants for this batch, we will get it started. Call us today to book your spot in this barrel club offer 403-981-5511.
Gift Cards for Valentines Day
Treat that special someone with the gift of wine! Guaranteed to put a smile onto their faces. Our gift cards can be loaded with as much as you want to put onto them. Get yours today before the Valentines day rush.
Wine of the month Vieux Chateau Du Roi
Bright ruby color, this wine has a fine complex nose of plum and fruit jam. It is rich and hearty with a hint of ripe cherries on the palate. Its tannic backbone allows for graceful aging. Comparable Wines: Chianti, Shiraz Pairing: A meal of pepper steak and barbecued red meats make this wine come alive. Oak: Medium Body: Full Aging: 9-12 months Available In : Gold Medallion and Supreme Sterile Juice
Give this variety a try you might have just found your new favorite!
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