Cellaring English Wines

Many people like to buy wine to keep in their cellar or wine rack. Port and Bordeaux wines are famed for their ability to last for several decades. Less well known is the ability of white wines to improve with age. While many white wines are designed for immediate drinking, some of our English wines will benefit from up to 5 years cellaring. The critical point to look for is the balance between the acidity and fruit concentration. Young wines can often have a crisp acidity and fresh fruit flavours. As the wine matures, the acidity softens and the fruit becomes more mellow. The trick is to judge whether the fruit is strong enough to outlast the acidity. As our wine styles are changing some of the wines we now sell will be suitable for longer ageing.

I tasted a bottle of our 1995 Horsmonden dry (tasted Christmas 2001). It was still fresh and fruity, but also edged with the honeyed tones of bottle maturity. I only wish I had enough to be able to offer it for sale. 1995 was a good vintage, and the grapes were picked at perfect ripeness. The wine was applauded as a young wine, winning second prize in the CLA Wine of the Year Competition. 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 vintages will show similar ageing potential.

Wines for drinking over the next year:

• 2003 Horsmonden dry

Wines that could be drunk from now to 2007

• 2000 Limney Estate sparkling wine