There is exactly 2 ways to age a batch of wine -- 1) Make more than you drink. 2) Make wine you don't like to drink or don't drink often.
I made Apple/Riesling and Pomegranate/Zinfandel kits, chaptalizing both to ~11%. Both came out good, but I'm primarily a dry red drinker, so I typically opened a bottle when someone who preferred a sweeter wine was visiting. The last bottle of Pom/Zin lasted 5 years, I gave the last 2 bottles of the Apple/Riesling to my sister & niece at the 7 year mark. The A/R lasted longer 'cuz I'm more likely to drink a red.
I recently bottled 6 batches -- only one will have longevity, which is by design. Elderberry is off-dry, so I like it, but most will go to my d-in-l (she's why I made it) and some to her mom. FWK Tavola Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir (no skin packs) were made for short term consumption. The PN is a turkey wine, nice red, lighter in body, good with turkey. Maybe salmon.
Frutta Strawberry and Blackberry were made 'cuz LP was clearing the warehouse last spring and there was nothing else I wanted. They are tasty, but I'll end up giving a lot away.
The above wines are all ~6 months old, and I expect will be gone in less than 2 years.
Chocolate Raspberry Port? This one will last 5 to 7 years, mostly because I don't drink ports often and I have half a batch remaining of each Coffee and Black Forest Ports.
Last year I bottled heavy reds (now 2 years old). One is fully drinkable now, the other needs another year or two. I'll probably have a case of the latter 5 years from now as I'll conserve it (see Rule #1 above). Yesterday we bottled two more heavy reds, each of which needs at least another year in the bottle, and moved new wines (Grenache & Tempranillo) into the barrels.
The only question is, "where the $&#* am I going to store all these bottles????"
early this year. It was excellent!
