Grape Crush – Stowaways

The main reason you buy wine might be to drink it, but it’s also fun to stock certain wines away so you can experience how their profile intensifies over time. This month, instead of focusing on the here-and-now, we’re looking at storage tips and three marvelous bottles to put up.

“If you want the optimal results of aging, storage is the No. 1 factor that will determine the life of a wine,” says Ian McCaffery, wine manager at Martin Wine Cellar. Keeping bottles on their sides and in darkness at 55 degrees and 75% humidity makes for optimum conditions. Both proper humidity and horizontal storage will keep corks moist, a crucial step in preserving quality since a dry cork can cause wine to oxidate. If you invest in a wine refrigerator or storage unit, watch its ability to control humidity, McCaffery adds. Many don’t. Also, keeping wines stationary while in storage prevents sediment from shifting and altering taste.

Beyond the technical, there are subjective factors that affect which wines to buy for the purpose of aging. As you become better at tasting, your palate changes, McCaffery says. “If you purchase a lot of wines to age when you first start drinking wine, you might end up with a cellar full of wine that you don’t like anymore,” he says. And don’t fall into the trap of buying wines only because of their high rating. “That is something that people have become obsessed with,” McCaffery says. “Purchase wines because you like the way they taste and because you want to enjoy them with friends and family.”

Zind Humbrecht Riesling 2006, $20.99

“This Riesling possesses a ‘somewhereness’ I find truly amazing,” McCaffery says. Drier than German Rieslings, this Alsatian selection typifies its region beautifully and features a “nose of peaches, flowers, and honey all intermingled with a touch of minerality, mostly slate,” he says. “It’s good for drinking now, particularly with fish dishes, and it ages well for up to 10 years. Over time, it will take on more weight, and its minerality and honey flavor will intensify.”

Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2004, $24.99

The Chateau de Beaucastel is considered by most to be the greatest Chateauneuf-du-Pape producer, McCaffery says. “This is a remarkable wine and one I purchase every vintage,” he says. “It could age at least eight to 10 years.” Comprised of Grenache 30%, Mourvčdre 30%, Syrah 20%, and Cinsault 20%, it has the classic nose for this French appellation, including blackberry, wild herbs, and pepper. “With age, the tannins soften and the wine has a more elegant mouthfeel,” McCaffery says. “The nose begins to pick up some wilder aromas of game and sweet cherry tobacco.”

Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV, $49.99

Sparkling wine is underrated, deserving to be integrated into the culinary line-up as often as reds or whites. Roederer, says McCaffery, is one of the most prestigious houses in the Champagne region, and this particular selection features notes of pear, apple, and toasted almonds. “The palate has a wonderful toasty and rich mouthfeel with great acidity,” he adds. With 56% Pinot Noir, 34% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Meunier, this Champagne is aged longer “on its lees,” or with the coarse sediment that is usually separated earlier. “With two to four years in your cellar,” McCaffery says, “this Champagne will lose some of its youthful acidity but gain richness and nuttiness.” Note that Champagne naturally loses some of its effervescence in aging, so don’t be alarmed if it has fewer bubbles when you finally drink up.