Why does wine get better with age?!
Why does wine get better with age?
I know the fermentation process only takes about a month or so. Why is a 10 year old bottle of wine better then a month old bottle?
Answers:
The fermentation process is only the beginning. When the yeast consumes the sugars in the grape juice, it's doing a lot more than just making CO2 and alcohol. There are a whole bunch more compounds and "stuff" at work and being processed and metabolized and such. Thus, at the end of fermentation, so many processes have occurred that there's a whole new set of factors at work. Over time, with interaction with the wood from barrels, oxygen (even in minute amounts) and simply time, these newly present compounds react with others, break down over time, change into other things, and so on...on such a minute level and at their own pace that the aging process takes a while....sometimes years, sometimes decades. Similarly, these reactions may produce off-flavors if allowed to happen too long. The wine may exceed its peak age potential and go bad. Storage conditions may also play a significant part in whether or not aging plays a positive or a negative part in the quality of the wine.
Simply put: There's a lot going on inside a wine bottle beyond just the fermentation that affects the quality. Time lets it occur...for better or for worse.
Not all wine gets better with age. In general's white don't age as well as reds.
The tannis "mature" with age and give the wine more "complexity".
Some "aged" wine actually become undrinkable.
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It will smooth out, instead of being tart.
Red wine usually gets better with age, if properly stored.