Aging White & Rosé Wine: Everything You Need To Know
Written by Andrea Morris
When the topic of aging wines comes up, talk turns almost exclusively to red wine. This isn’t unprecedented - red wines have more defenses against oxidation (the enemy of aging wine gracefully) and are typically, unfairly, taken more seriously than white wine. I covered the ins and outs of cellaring reds in a previous article but now I’d like to give white wines (and rosé!) the spotlight they deserve. Or maybe their cool, dark corner of the cave, since light is no good for the aging process.
Let’s start with the topic of Light. Part of what can make aging white and rosé tricky is the color of the bottle. Clear glass is a popular choice for many whites and especially rosés to show off their lovely hues, but it is actually really bad for aging as it allows UV rays to infiltrate the wine. The widely dark green/amber glass acts as a kind of spf for wine, shielding it from harmful rays that cause a fault called “light strike,” which results in off flavors such as cabbage and sulfur. Winemakers know this, so when they choose to bottle in clear glass they are sending a message that the wine is not meant for long term storage. There are exceptions to this rule, such as the peerless Domaine Tempier’s Bandol Rosé that can improve for many years, so long as the bottle is kept away from sun or fluorescent light. Other producers of serious rosé that are meant to age, such as Chateau Simone in Palette, choose to bottle their pink wines in dark glass, trading aesthetics for practicality.
Beyond packaging, there are a few other factors that help define whether or not a white or rosé will age well. Structure is a huge factor here. Structure in regards to wine refers to all sorts of things you experience in a sip that are not aromatic or flavor compounds, especially acid, sweetness, alcohol, tannins and body. All of these structural components contribute to a wine’s ability to age well, and many of these tend to be higher in reds, thus the main reason that they are easier to age. White wines that are higher in acid can age well because that mouth watering quality creates a feeling of freshness, even after the floral and fruit aromas fade. That said, if it is bright, juicy fruit that you value in a white wine then a more recent vintage will probably make you happier. As with red wines, aging a white or rosé does not make it inherently “better”. Time in the bottle changes the profile of a wine, often bringing out complexities in the form of nuttiness, salinity, mushrooms and earth. These elements can make for a fascinating and thoughtful experience, but if the structure is off balance then these secondary aromas and flavors can become overpowering or simply unpalatable.
Some white and rosé wines are not created with ageability in mind at all- nearly any white or rosé that emphasizes crisp fruit notes is probably not going to improve over time and after a few years the charm will fade and you’ll be left with the wine equivalent of wilted flowers. New Zealand Sauvignon blanc and Spanish Txakoli are two prime examples. This is no knock against this style - I’ve never met a bottle I’d rather bring to a picnic than Ameztoi - it’s just an acknowledgement that different wines have different strengths and it’s our job as enthusiasts to help them each reach their full potential, like a baseball coach placing players in different positions. I watched Moneyball once!
There are always exceptions to this rule too - Provence’s Clos Cibonne occasionally releases their top rosé cuvee with several years of age, as does Rioja Lopez de Heredia and they are both incredible, unique expressions of the style. Similarly, great Riesling and Chenin Blanc in both sweet and dry styles tend to have long aging potential, morphing the juicy lemon and apple flavors into dried flowers, hay and honey over time. The idiosyncratic dry Rieslings of J.B. Becker can be found with a decade or more of bottle age at some retail stores, and if you can get your hands on an old bottle of Huet Vouvray you’re in for a real treat. The key here is the high acid combined with loads of minerality, plus the kind of fruit flavors that take well to oxidation - think orchard and stone fruit, while tropical fruit and citrus tends to wither with age.
Chardonnay, especially white Burgundy, does especially well with age as this is a wine that was never really about fruit flavor in the first place. A well made Chardonnay is all about texture and mineral with a little mushroom with a tangy sour cream finish, and yes, some golden apple and lemon and even butter, but all of these things love a little age, becoming integrated and smoothed out over time. As with many reds, a really great Chardonnay will actually taste better after a few years, and the best can hold on and evolve for decades. I’m especially prone to splurging on aged Chablis, Dauvissat being a personal favorite, but there are more affordable options. 2014 was a magical year for white Burg, so if you see a bottle from this vintage, grab it! In general, cooler vintages make for longer aging potential since the acid is higher; 2017 and 2019 are two such vintages that you’re likely to find on store shelves right now. Warmer years, such as 2015 and 2018, tend to be more open earlier but may not age as well due to the lower acid and higher alcohol that comes from increased ripeness of the fruit at harvest.
There are tons of lesser known grapes and regions that can also age beautifully, and usually at a better value since they’re coming from a less fancy address. Portuguese Arinto made by Caves São João from the ‘90s can be found in stores today thanks to the owners deciding to do library releases of wines that they had trouble selling when the trends favored ripeness over elegance a couple decades ago. These wines are a masterclass in aging, with herbs and seashells co-mingling with vibrating acidity and a round texture. Another unusual experience in white wine aging comes from Semillon grown in the Hunter Valley in Victoria, Australia. The weather here is the real kind of warm, technically subtropical, so you wouldn’t expect age-worthy whites to come from here. But the enterprising winemakers here pick their grapes very early in the season in order to avoid overripening. This results in incredibly high acid and somewhat green flavors in the young wines, as well as lower alcohol, around an easy 11% abv. Then, something magical happens over time in the bottle: the wine develops toasty, honeyed notes, creating the impression of oak despite the wine never seeing a barrel. It’s uncanny and delicious, a truly unique style of wine. Tyrrell’s Vat 1 is perhaps the best known, but Brokenwood also makes a few bottlings that are worth seeking out, some of which can be found for $20-30.
At the end of the day, many white and rosé wines can age just as rewardingly as reds. Drink the fresh and fruity ones now, hold on to the structured and savory ones later and don’t be scared to try a great rosé that’s seen time in the bottle. Bringing an aged white to dinner will make you look like the savviest person at the table and will result in some very rewarding food pairings. Now get out there and lay some bottles down is a cool dark place!
Where to find Andrea’s recommended wines:
Leon & Son
2015 Tyrrell’s Wines Vat 1 Semillon, Hunter Valley, Australia, $60
2019 Clos Cibonne Cotes de Provence Cuvee Tibouren Tradition Rosé, France, $29.99
2019 J.B. Becker Reisling, Rheingau, Germany, $39.99
Parcelle Wine
Dauvissat, Chablis Premier Cru 'Forest' 2018, $175
One Kourt Studio
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé, France 2020, $49
Astor Wines & Spirits
Chateau Simone Palette Rouge 2013, $49.96
Gary’s Wine & Marketplace
Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Haut Lieu 2019, $38.95