The Drop

The Allure of Aged Wines

Read Time 4 Minutes

Posted 25 Jun 2024

By Vintage Cellars

They say patience is a virtue, and while there are some wines made for cracking open immediately, others are certainly worth waiting for.

Growing smoother and more mellow with time, ageing a wine allows it to develop more complexity and nuance that lends itself particularly well to winter dining. A lamb shoulder slowly braised over a cold afternoon practically begs to be enjoyed with a peppery aged shiraz, while a whole-roasted fish, topped with sticky soy and Asian herbs is the perfect companion to a middle-aged riesling.

Given a little more time to develop in the bottle (and the right conditions), an aged wine tends to become even more expressive of the conditions it was grown in, too. But there’s a science to ageing wine — they must be stored at the right temperature for the right period of time to get the most out of your drops. It’s why we’ve curated our Museum Release, to take the guesswork out of cellaring wines. We keep the bottles best suited for cellaring at an optimum temperature of 14 degrees to ensure they’re aged to perfection, which means when you buy them, you can get stuck into them straight away. Here, we’re spotlighting four wines from our Museum Release that we’ve aged like, well, a fine wine, with some insight from the makers on what makes these aged wines so special and how they’re best enjoyed.

Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

“Wynns Black Cabernet’s reputation for developing well is legendary,” says Sue Hodder, head winemaker at Wynns Coonawarra. “The 2018 vintage is in a nice young teenager phase and is drinking beautifully now. The flavours are gently transforming from berries to more savoury characters — it’s especially delicious paired with salmon.”

Tahbilk Shiraz 2016

Great growing conditions — no frost, cool windy days and no mould — meant Tahbilk’s 2016 Shiraz was the perfect candidate for ageing. Joanne Nash, chief winemaker and general manager of Tahbilk, explains that the ageing process allows the fruit-forward nature of Tahbilk’s Shiraz to evolve into something more savoury and spicy, making it the perfect accompaniment to “the rich flavours of a ragout or red meat dish. It also pairs well with bold and bitey cheeses, like gouda, halloumi and gruyere or hard cheeses, such as an aged cheddar or pecorino. It’s perfect to serve with a cheese board!”

Leo Buring Clare Valley Riesling 2016

According to Marie Clay, winemaker at Leo Buring, their 2016 Riesling is “a perfect example of the very best Rieslings from the Clare Valley.” Careful ageing sees the wine develop increased minerality, “shifting from bright youthful citrus notes to rich brown lime and lemon butter characteristics,” Clay explains. It means the riesling “has the bottle age complexity and character to match heavier, more robust flavours — I’m thinking about caramelised pork belly with orange zest and coriander.”

Pepperjack Barossa Shiraz 2014

Few things pair better with an aged shiraz than a medium-rare steak, especially if you ask Pepperjack winemaker Richard Mattner. “Pepperjack Shiraz has always had a close affinity with food and is often enjoyed alongside a beautiful steak,” he says. “Carefully aged Pepperjack softens the tannins and secondary and tertiary flavours become more apparent.” A mild growing period in the Barossa meant the grapes were able to be picked at peak ripeness, resulting in a wine that is equal parts rich and dense.