Is Older Wine Better Than Younger Wine? Wine Pros Weigh In

Wine myths are nothing new, and the idea that older wine is better than younger wine has existed for ages. But how much truth is there to this common belief? According to many wine industry pros, not much.

“Many perceive that older wines will inherently be better than younger wines, and that is not the case,” says Nikita Malhotra, head sommelier at Pressoir.

Malhotra says personal preferences, including flavor profiles, texture, and expression, play a huge role in whether someone will favor an older or younger wine. Age isn’t always a factor.

Joao Castro, sommelier at Michelin-starred Wild Honey in London, agrees. “The idea that older wine is better than younger wine isn’t always true. It depends on the type of wine and how it was made,” he says.

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The differences between younger and older wines

Younger wines, regardless of color, tend to be more vibrant and fruit-forward, while older wines often show more evolution.

“Young reds often have bolder tannins and fresher fruit notes, while young white wines can be crisp and zesty, with sharp acidity,” says Castro. “Red wines develop complex secondary and tertiary notes like earth, leather, or dried fruit, while whites can gain nuttiness, creaminess, and depth.”

Malhotra attributes these unique, tertiary notes as flavors associated with oak aging, fermentation, and good ol’ fashioned time, rather than the grapes themselves. She uses Northern Rhône Syrah as an example. “A younger vintage will have currant and raspberry as dominant notes, but as these wines age, the supporting savory expressions of bacon, leather, and tobacco begin to take over,” she says.

When is younger wine a better fit?

Castro says that younger wine is often preferable for casual situations and everyday drinking. Its vibrant acidity and fruit-forwardness make for bright, refreshing experiences.

Malhotra recommends youthful wines when you catch up with friends. “I have been guilty of getting a wine with age that changes with every sip, and it becomes my focus in lieu of the friends and colleagues I might be sharing the bottle with,” she says. In these situations, it’s best to enjoy something that will be pleasurable and allow conversation to flow.

Youthful wines can also be more reliable alongside food.

“A more current vintage can often be used to highlight a dish, say a crudo that needs more acid,” says Malhotra. This can easily be found in youthful bottles of typically high-acid wines like dry Riesling from Germany.

Don’t want to gamble on whether a wine will show well? Malhotra recommends sticking with a younger bottling.

Opening differently aged wines

Back-vintage wines can provide some of the most unique and thought-provoking experiences. Knowing how to handle them is key, however.

“Serving older wines differs from younger ones, as they are more delicate and require careful decanting to separate sediment,” says Castro. Serving the wine at the proper temperature will ensure that its subtleties and nuances are highlighted.

Once an older wine has settled upright for several hours, Malhotra recommends to pour it gently. Also, shine a light at the neck of the bottle as you pour to avoid having sediment enter the decanter.

“If you need a younger wine to open up, you don't need to be as fragile in treating the bottle, as you want to expose the wine to oxygen as much as you can,” says Malhotra. “With older wine, you are fighting against too much oxygen, so you are decanting for very different reasons in each case.”

It’s all a matter of taste

Castro says that not all wines are designed to age and that the majority of wines on the market are crafted for immediate to short-term enjoyment.

“The primary notes found in younger wines are generally enjoyable. When aging is done right, however, back-vintage bottles can be out of this world,” says Malhotra.

In truth, many factors should be considered when reaching for that next bottle of wine. Personal preference, the nature of the occasion, and mood, all come into play when enjoying wine. And, age is just a number, right?

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