The best red wines will age at least two years before they become available.
These wines, particularly when made from the riesling grape can age for very long periods of time, often ten years or more.
Once bottled, the wine is of great longevity, and can age for several decades.
It has a high yield and wines based on it can age a long time.
With its long growing season, the wine can age fully.
Roman law codified the distinction between "old" and "new" as whether wine had aged for at least a year.
The temperature's probably pretty constant down here, so wine could have aged rather well, if it was properly sealed.
They are betting that these wines will age like fine Bordeaux.
Once the producer decides the wine has aged for the right amount of time, the selection begins.
Some critics argued that French red wines would age better than the California reds, so this was tested.