Which red wines better with age?

The vast majority of wines on the market are intended for enjoyment within one or two years of purchase. The Yellow Tail is meant for immediate drinking, and really has no potential to age.

In order for a red wine to age for an extended period, it must have the right balance of fruit, alcohol, tannin and acidity. If it lacks any one of these, it will become even more imbalanced with age. For example, if it does not have enough fruit, it will be excessively dry with time because the fruit will fade faster than the tannin and acid. If there is not enough tannin, then there is not enough protection against oxidation, and the wine will turn to vinegar within a relatively short time.

One way for you to tell is if you try a young wine and initially it tastes really good, with good balance of fruit and acidity, but the finish has a real mouth puckering feel to it, kind of like chewing on grape skins. Those are tannins. Then you will have an idea that this wine needs a few years of bottle age before those tannins settle down and bring the wine into balance.

Unfortunately, most age worthy wines tend to be more expensive. It's hard to find a truly age worthy wine for less than $40, though occasionally you will find a bargain.

Watch for the upcoming 2005 vintage from Bordeaux or the current 2001 release from Brunello di Montalcino in Italy. These reds will age extremely well.

Cheers!

Sorry, most wines do not improve with age. The most common ones that would age are the big bold and assertive reds -- like Cabernet Sauvignon. Your lighter reds, such as Merlot, Pinot Noir, etc, do not benefit from aging beyond a couple years. You basically can drink them when you buy them, or wait a short while if you do not want to drink it soon. But beyond two years you are really risking spoiling the wine more than you are improving its flavor. The other part that determines whether a wine can be aged or not is price. In the US, anything under about $40 is not meant to be aged for more than 3-4 years (even as a Cabernet Sauvignon). The stuff you find that is under $15 is a drink it now, it won't get better wine -- and I'm perfectly happy with this.

French red Bordeaux is the only wine that improves with age.

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