After bottling, still wines begin the reductive stage of ageing without or with very little oxygen. Many producers store high-quality, ageable red wines in particular, but also white wines, in the bottle for up to 12 months or longer before marketing, which is why they are also referred to as bottle ageing or bottle refinement. A certain period of ageing in the bottle is also prescribed by wine law for individual wines in many countries.

Further development in the bottle usually only takes place for still wines. In the case of sparkling wines(champagne, sparkling wine, etc.), development is usually complete from the time of marketing or the peak has already been reached. The same applies to distillates such as Armagnac, Cognac, brandy, etc. All the (positive) changes during the ageing process may not yet be present in a young wine that can be savoured quickly.

According to the international trend, a considerable proportion of inexpensive wines are produced today (especially white wines), which should be consumed within one to a maximum of two years after bottling. These wines are therefore already ready to drink when they are marketed and are unsuitable for longer storage.

In the case of high-quality, high-priced wines that require many years of ageing, recorking is worth considering if the cork is damaged, which some wineries offer as a service for their best products.

Distinction between bottle ageing and maturation

In contrast to ageing, which refers to all changes in a wine up to the "end of its life", bottle ageing only summarises the positive changes up to the peak. However, there is no clear distinction between the two terms. The term " drinking maturity" is often used in connection with the peak of a wine, which refers to the optimum time for consumption. This state can already exist before the peak. However, the two terms can also be understood to be synonymous, as they are by no means to be understood in relation to a specific date and can extend over a longer period or several years.

Maturation

Barrel ageing has a positive effect on maturation. In the case of long-lived wines, bottle ageing is a process until, in extreme cases, they only reach their peak after many years and then degrade again. During...