Norton, the official state grape of Missouri, is known for its ability to age well. Ever wondered why, or how aging wine changes it?

Aging wine can potentially improve the quality of a wine through complex chemical reactions involving the wine’s sugars, acids, and phenolic compounds (i.e. tannins). However, aging wine doesn’t automatically improve it, and there is such a thing as too old when it comes to wine. Different wines age at different rates and once they’ve peaked they can start to deteriorate.

Norton, while delicious now, is often a good candidate for aging because of its tannic structure and acidity. The ability of a wine to age well can be influenced by the grape variety, vintage, viticulture practices, wine region, and wine making style. So, while many Missouri Norton wines age gracefully, it’s always good to take the winemaker’s cellar life recommendations into consideration.

What happens to a wine when it’s aging? First of all, there’s a needed distinction here. We’re talking about bottle aging orcellaring. Missouri winemakers often age Norton wines in barrels prior to bottling. Barrel-aging imparts its own unique and compelling characteristics on the wine. Bottle-aging can alter the aroma, color, mouthfeel, and taste of a wine.

As wine ages, the harsh, young tannins give way to a softer mouthfeel; the color fades (from an inky dark to a light red brick color, for example); the bouquet becomes more developed and multi-layered; and the flavor becomes more complex. At its peak, an aged Norton wine can be a wonderful experience, completely different from that of a young Norton.

There are always exceptions, but as a general rule, Missouri Norton wines age slowly for the first 5 years, reaching their peak in 8-10 years with a suggested aging limit of 15 years. Some recommendations for a good wine aging environment:

• Bottles laid on their sides to keep the corks from drying out.
• A cool (approximately 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit) temperature is best for storing wine while aging.
• A dark area is best as the ultra violet rays from sunlight can lead to premature oxidation.
• Avoid vibration and heat fluctuation as they can hasten deterioration in the wine.

So, the next time you’re purchasing a bottle of Norton, consider buying a couple extra to cellar. If you have the patience, it can certainly be a fun experience to see how they change over the years. Missouri Norton pairs well with your cellar.