Have you got a carefully preserved bottle of Barefoot Bynum 1976 or Two-Buck Chuck 1992 waiting for a special occasion? Questions regarding cellaring fascinate me given that something like 90% of wine is quaffed within 48 hours of purchase!
How long a wine can be cellared is a difficult question to answer. There are so many variables, including the variety of grape, style of wine, quality of vintage, quality of wine producer, historical record of the producer for making wines that go the distance, and the storage conditions where you cellar the wine at home.
Proper cellar conditions make a difference to extending your wine's life. The best environment is cool, dim, well ventilated, with no vibrations, odors or moisture. And do not fear; it is certainly achievable even if you lack a cave underneath your estate!
Without a doubt the most critical consideration is temperature management, in particular, keeping it as stable as possible. Cellaring wine in places where temperatures vary slowly but surely between the seasons is good. On the other hand, stocking wine somewhere that is heated for part of the day and chills down to cold-month temperatures overnight is bad. Major temperature swings will bring forward the ruin of your wine.
The ideal cellar temperature is 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (12 to 15 degrees Celsius) with a relative humidity of 65 to 75 percent. Wine will mature more quickly in cellar temperatures over 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius) reducing the length of time it can be cellared, so I recommend monitoring summer temperatures with a thermometer.
Keep bottles on their side, preferably with the neck angled upwards a little bit in order that the cork stays moist, the air bubble sits in the shoulder and sediment settles towards the bottom. Despite the fact that screw caps are considerably more ubiquitous nowadays, it is wise to maintain this procedure because it makes the wine less difficult to pour. Position the bottle so that the label faces up to avoid disturbing the bottle to identify it.
Air conditioning and refrigeration are good for reducing temperatures but also reduce humidity, which causes cork shrinkage with ruinous results. If you can afford it, a better alternative is a cellaring cabinet - effectively a modified refrigerator with humidity control - that several companies now offer in a range of sizes.
Wine storage can be a challenging problem for apartment dwellers and condo owners, so these small refrigerator-like storage cabinets are perfect, easily fitting into a dining room or modern kitchen. It's much better than storing wine under the sink, which due to hot and cold running water overhead and often a dishwasher alongside is far from ideal storage conditions. Storing wine near heat grates or radiators is equally bad.
The basement of a house is an excellent location for wine storage. A cabinet or small room made of concrete or brick will even out daily fluctuations in temperature, and if it can be insulated, that will provide even more protection for your valuable wine collection.
Not that many years ago, grunty red wines were infused with lots of oak and not very good drinking in their early years. As they got older, the tannins became mellower and more balanced with the fruit and after a period of years they became splendid to drink. But nowadays most wines show little or no improvement with age. They merely develop, slowly, into a different type of wine that is sometimes better and sometimes not.
Inexpensive, light-bodied reds and most white wines that you quaff during the week are best drunk when young, preferably straight away or at least within a year or two of purchase. That's when the primary fruit characters are most favorable. Some can last longer but they won't necessarily get better. It's best to save your precious cellar space for the really good stuff.
Wines that develop nicely as they mature over a period of years in the cellar are normally heavier weight, high quality red wines. Quality is key - nearly all good quality wines of this type will improve with maturity. Changes that take place within the chemistry of the wine as it matures bring out different aromas and flavors, bestowing more softness, greater complexity and more overall interest. When a great red wine reaches its peak, the tannins will no longer be harsh and you'll find hints of coffee, tobacco and cedar in the flavor mix. Pure pleasure!
Here's what I suggest if you want to cellar some wine. Buy twelve bottles of a premium quality red. Don't touch it for two years. Then, drink one every six months to gauge its evolution. When you feel it is at its peak and there's no way it could possibly improve, indulge in the remaining bottles over the next half-year!
If in doubt, drink it sooner rather than later - there are far too many 'nursing home cellars' full of wine that has been kept too long and is past it. It is way better to drink a wine too young than too old!
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