There is an old myth that says, “the older wines are the better.” My opinion is that this is not true. The reason why this belief appeared is that in the past, there was not sufficient technology or knowledge to be able to make wines that could be served at an early age. Time was needed for them to evolve and to be served, to have a pleasant taste. Without that time, they were undrinkable. In our days, there are excellent young wines that have nothing to envy from older wines. To say that one is better than another, we should start by asking ourselves what we are looking for. If we are looking for “complexity,” we should then think of wine with more years. In case we are looking for “body” (in color, aroma, and flavor), we are talking about choosing young wines.
However, the most important question is what wines to store if we like that complexity we are talking about. Generally, red wines have greater potential for storage than white wines; and among these, there are varietal wines that have more body, higher alcohol content, and greater tannin content, which make them ideal for letting them evolve a few years in the bottle.
Some say that this thing about storing wine is very complicated; that it is better to drink them all now. I should admit that somehow they are right. Personally, I very much like young wines and I believe that when good wineries are selling a wine, is because it is ready to be served, unless it is specifically stated otherwise. However, I should also admit that it is exciting to see how wines evolve with time.
There are certain basic steps we should take into account if we want to store wines. As a first measure, we should know that they must not be exposed to light, as this affects the color and alters wines. Another aspect we should take care of is not to store wines in places where there is traffic or constant vibration. The typical place picked at homes is under the stairs, in the space that is usually left. Constant motion affects wine.
They should not be stored near objects with a strong odor; let us keep mind that wine breathes through the cork and these odors are passed on to the wine easily. Neither should we put them in warm places; the ideal temperature is 15°C and 20°C (59° and 68° F).
The ideal places are basements or other places with little traffic and light (as a last resort, in the lower section of built-in wardrobes). Bottles must always be laying down, seeking that the cork be in contact with the liquid.
We should only store wines with over 12.5 degrees of alcohol, as this will prevent the wine from decomposing ahead of time.
Finally, the humidity of the place must be between 45 and 70 percent. Many people ask what happens if the humidity is greater. The answer is nothing; the only thing we should keep in mind is that this can cause that with time, the labels are damaged, and that we do not know what we are drinking.