Shelves
Shelf life of wines: expert guide
The conservation of wine is an essential art to preserve its aromas and its aging potential. Whether you are a wine merchant, restaurateur or grocer, it is essential to know how long you keep a bottle of wine still corked in order to optimize your storage and satisfy your customers.
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In this article, we reveal the shelf life of wines by region, accompanied by a table of wine’s storage time.
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🕐 4 min of reading | Posted on: 14/02/2025
Alsace and Savoie
The wines of Alsace and Savoie offer a beautiful diversity of grape varieties, notably aromatic whites and light reds. Dry white wines, such as Riesling, Sylvaner and Jacquère, have good potential for wine preservation, varying between 5 and 10 years, or even longer for great vintages.
Soft white wines, made from grape varieties such as Gewurztraminer or Pinot Gris, can age up to 20 years for the best vintages. As for red wines, based on Mondeuse or Pinot Noir, their shelf life varies between 3 and 7 years.
Beaujolais and Burgundy
Two large wine regions with distinct styles coexist here. Beaujolais is known for its Beaujolais Nouveau, a light and fruity wine that must be consumed within the year. However, the Beaujolais crus, such as Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent, have a more marked tannic structure and can be preserved between 5 and 10 years.
Burgundy, renowned for its elegant wines, offers varied wine storage periods. Indeed, red wines, mainly made from Pinot Noir, can be kept between 5 and 15 years depending on the appellation. As for white wines, produced from Chardonnay, their potential aging can vary from 3 years for lighter appellations to 20 years for great vintages.
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Bordeaux
The conservation of Bordeaux wine depends on its structure and the grape variety used. Great red wines like Margaux can be kept for several decades, up to 50 years if the climatic conditions are favorable. Classic red wines, from less prestigious appellations, are generally kept between 5 and 15 years.
Dry white wines, although less well-known, also have good conservation potential, ranging from 3 to 8 years. As for sweet white wines, like the Sauternes, their richness in sugar and their acidity allow them to age admirably well, up to 50 years for the best bottles.
Rhone Valley and Provence
The red wines of the Rhône, mainly from Syrah and Grenache, offer a good storage capacity, which can reach a conservation of wine between 5 and 20 years depending on the appellations. White wines, made from grape varieties such as Viognier or Roussanne, usually keep for between 3 and 10 years.
In Provence, the production is largely dominated by rosé wine, which stands out for its freshness and fruitiness. It is recommended to consume it young, ideally within 1 to 3 years, although some premium rosés can be kept a few more years.
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Southwest and Languedoc
The wines of the South-West and Languedoc display varied storage periods depending on their typicity. The red wines, often powerful and robust, are made from grape varieties such as Malbec, Tannat, Grenache and Syrah. Their custody period varies between 5 and 15 years.
Dry and soft white wines, such as those from Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng, can be kept between 3 and 15 years. Finally, natural sweet wines, such as Banyuls or Maury, have exceptional aging potential and can be kept for several decades without losing their qualities.
Loire valley
The diversity of wines from the Loire strongly influences the conservation of wine. Dry white wines, such as Sancerre and Muscadet, are to be drunk in their youth and are kept on average between 3 and 5 years. As for the soft white Chenin, it offers a much more important conservation potential, which can go up to 50 years. Light red wines, such as those of Saumur or Chinon, are more fragile and must be consumed within 3 to 10 years after bottling.
Champagne
The shelf life of Champagne depends mainly on its type. A non-vintage Champagne, often designed to be consumed quickly, can be kept between 3 and 5 years. The vintage Champagnes, benefiting from a more elaborate blend and specific winemaking, gain in complexity over time and can age for more than 10 years. As for the great cuvées, carefully elaborated by the most prestigious houses, they often reach their peak after 20 years of conservation of the wine in optimal conditions.
Summary table of the storage time for wines
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Shelf life according to the types of wine
Red wines
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White wines
The shelf life of white wines varies if they are dry or sweet white wines. The secs are often to be consumed within 3 to 10 years, except for some great wines of Burgundy or the Loire. The soft and sweet whites can age for several decades, thanks to their high sugar content and acidity.
Rosé wines
Rosés are wines to be tasted young, generally within 1 to 3 years after bottling. Some structured rosés from the south of France can age a little longer.
Sparkling wines
The conservation of sparkling wine depends on the type:
- A non-vintage Champagne can be kept for 3 to 5 years.
- A vintage Champagne can age up to 20 years.
- The other effervescents (Crémant, Prosecco) are to be drunk within 2 to 5 years.
The preservation of wine is an essential issue for any wine professional. To efficiently organize your cellar and ensure optimal storage conditions, discover our selection of professional solid wood wine shelves. You now have a clear vision to offer your customers wines to their full taste potential.
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