WineXpert How long can kit wines age?

[globalnavigator]

I'm a newbie, so assume I'm just following the instructions to a T. I greatly prefer red wines, so let's focus on them.

It seems that I shouldn't expect to open my first bottle until 3 months minimum after bottling. After that, it seems as though it depends on many factors how long I CAN age the wine before they go downhill. Assuming I keep the wines in a closet at say 65-70 degrees, and I use Nomacorcs, how long should I expect them to be good for? For example, up to a year for Chilean wine kits, 3 years for any Eclipse big red varietals?

I would actually love to slap a little sticker on each bottle that says "Best between 9/2016 - 9/2018" for my reference and for others that I give bottles to.

I wish there was some kind of reference chart! Does anyone have some useful ranges and/or guidelines?

 

[salcoco]

I have made a number of limited edition reds that have lasted 6 years and are still good.

 

[Brian55]

I have made a number of limited edition reds that have lasted 6 years and are still good.

We don't have anything much older than three years. All of our big reds are still improving at this point.
Only one wine we've made, which was a cheaper white, started to drop off significantly as it approached and passed the 2 year mark.

 

[knockabout]

My super Tuscan started to go downhill after 33 months :-( I feel like my white are best 6 -18 months

 

[heatherd]

I am drinking 2012 and 2013 kit wines now and they all still taste good.

 

[wineh]

It seems that I shouldn't expect to open my first bottle until 3 months minimum after bottling. After that, it seems as though it depends on many factors how long I CAN age the wine before they go downhill. Assuming I keep the wines in a closet at say 65-70 degrees, and I use Nomacorcs, how long should I expect them to be good for? For example, up to a year for Chilean wine kits, 3 years for any Eclipse big red varietals?

I would actually love to slap a little sticker on each bottle that says "Best between 9/2016 - 9/2018" for my reference and for others that I give bottles to.

I wish there was some kind of reference chart! Does anyone have some useful ranges and/or guidelines?

Your timelines are likely good for the storage temperature you indicate, but you could lengthen that significantly if you could find a cooler storage area (like a dark corner of an uninsulated basement). Having said that, I read in WineMaker magazine that a sound wine will remain at its peak for as long as it took to get there. Stated another way, if your wine takes 2 years to reach its peak, it will stay there for another 2 years before beginning its downhill part of life. I have had kits that were still getting better at 2 years, but alas none have ever made it to 4 years.
I wouldn't put a "best before date" on wines, and I don't buy those box things that do have one. Simply put a month/year of bottling on your wine (I use the top of the cork) so you know how long its been aging.

 

[FTC Wines]

We have 4 bottles of almost 6 yr old CC Amarone. It was so awesome at 5 yrs so we re- corked the remaining bottles and locked them in our long aging wine chiller. Will try them in a few more years. Hope one makes it to TEN years! Roy

 

[botigol]

I recently opened a 3+ year-old bottle of Coastal Red and it is still fruity and tasty. I didn't expect this kind of longevity out of a relatively cheap kit, but I'll take it! For sake of disclosure, I don't have this batch in a temperature controlled environment, but my basement generally stays in the 60-64°F range.