Challenge the myth and drink an aged white wine
I love our craft-made red wines at Rising Wines Collective, and it’s easy to get carried away with thoughts of bold Cabernet Sauvignons or rich Pinot Noir when the discussion turns to wines that age. However, notable white wines like Chardonnay and Riesling proudly take their place on that ageable wines list, and I’m happy to introduce you to a few more wines that may improve with extra time in the cellar.
Why do I like ageable white wine?
There’s no denying the appeal of crisp, fruity white wines and their ability to pair with fun times, especially fruity summer fun. Bright, vivacious, white wines that age offer the wine lover a more intense flavor profile and vintage-driven experience. Fuller in body and texture, often with more exotic and deeper flavors of dried fruits, nuts, honey, vanilla, baking spices from aging in oak barrels, and even savory herbal notes, aged white wine is a contrast to less complex wines and even its younger self.
Are white wines ageable? Why yes, they are!
By aging, I am talking about a relatively short time in the bottle before release to give a wine time to develop character, time spent aging in oak barrels, and bottled wine held for years, if not decades, in the cellar before reaching its peak.
Before you charge off to the store for a bottle, it’s not just any white wine that can age. Speaking of the “store,” this is the time to head to your favorite wine shop, online or otherwise. Yes, the average grocery store is convenient, but typically, grocery store wines lean toward the commodity, and though some higher-end stores may have a selection of craft-made wines on the shelf, it’s not certain. A white wine that can age is a wine of intent, taking more time and attention from the winemaker and time in the winery. Therefore, they are not often in your average market. It’s not a coincidence that our small-production winemakers craft ageable white wines.
What makes a wine ageable?
Wine age-ability combines factors such as higher natural acidity in certain grape varietals, tannin, and residual sugar. Grapes grown in cool climates, whether coastal or at high altitudes, have higher acid levels than those grown in warmer locations. Grapes are metabolically active at warm overnight temperatures and respire away some of their natural acidity (malic acid). Those acids slow the degradation of wine with time and are key to age-ability. Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc all have high natural acidity. Interestingly, all three are made in various styles worldwide, although Chardonnay is always a dry wine.
Tannins are in grape seeds and grape skin. White wines are typically low in tannin since the seeds and skins are removed before fermentation. Tannin in white wine develops by allowing the juice to stay in contact with skin and seeds after destemming or crushing. Fermenting and aging in oak barrels will also contribute tannin to the wine for body and structure. A wine needs body and structure to age. In addition to its bright acidity in cool climates, Chardonnay also has thick skin, which leads to characteristics that make it very amenable to aging in oak.
The most common ageable white wine, often with high sugar levels, is made from Riesling grapes. It’s an extremely versatile grape whose sugar content and searing acidity allow it to be made in almost any style, from sweet to bone dry. Similarly, due to its high acidity, Chenin Blanc produces long-aging wines in both dry and sweet styles. Sauvignon Blanc is a fresh, young, fruity wine. However, when blended with Semillon and aged in oak barrels it can age nearly a decade. Sauvignon Blanc is the most acidic component of the famous botrytis-affected sweet wine, Sauternes, which can age forty to one hundred years.
Craft of the winemaker, two of our ageable Grenache Blanc wines
Rising Wines Collective showcases two talented winemakers who’ve brought out the best in another favorite wine, Grenache Blanc. Like all white wine, Grenache Blanc has good acidity, but not at the levels of a grape like Chardonnay, whose acidity allows it to age without question. It’s a testament to the skill of the winemakers, care in the vineyard, and foresight in the winery that allowed them to craft these two compelling Grenache Blanc wines.
Morgan Lee from Two Vintners ages his Grenache Blanc five months before release to allow the wine to develop a richer character and structure from fermentation in French oak barrels. The wine has many floral and stone fruit aromas, with bright citrus and mineral characters.
Winemaker William Allen at Two Shepherds in the cool site Russian River Valley in California takes things further, aging his Grenache Blanc more than 3 years before release. Aged in both oak barrels and stainless steel, the results of the extended aging are visible in the pale gold color and deep aromas. Un-fined and unfiltered, the wine has a layered complexity while still fresh and bright.
When the nights are long, and dinners are rich and savory, why not try an aged Grenache Blanc or another ageable white? At Rising Wines Collective, we favor small-production, craft white wines that age, and our winemaker profiles and wine-tasting notes will lead you to beautiful, ageable wines.
