
It’s been awhile since I’ve written about the potential ageability of Washington wines. Beyond the occasional older bottle, what are the more general parameters for cellaring Washington wines? Do they last? Do they improve? Is it worth the time and risk, or like most domestic wines, are they best enjoyed while young and fresh?
The short answer is yes. They are most often best enjoyed sooner rather than later. That said, quite a few age well, for varying time periods of course. In my experience, how long and if a given wine will reward cellaring comes down ultimately to some combination of grape variety, vine age, vineyard sources, vintage conditions and winemaking choices.
For white wines, you need acid, or sugar and acid, to keep them for any length of time. Chardonnays, even the great ones, should probably be consumed with 4 – 6 years of release. I just had a 2006 Abeja chardonnay that was exceptional. Probably at or near its peak. That’s more the exception than the rule. Rieslings are most likely to last, and some dessert rieslings, such as the Ste. Michelle/Dr. Loosen Single Berry Select, don’t even begin to open up until a decade has passed.