South Africa’s foodie culture is thriving, and aged wines are coming along for the ride. In recent years, we have seen a phenomenal boost in the quality of South Africa’s restaurant scene. The calibre of food is climbing, with award-winning chefs and a prolific variety of cuisines on offer. Experimentation in local kitchens is in step with international standards. But what is food without wine? Our country’s culinary resurgence has created an increased demand for more interesting and distinguished wines. 

A growing demand for vintage wines 

Consumers are no longer new to wine culture, and their developed palates are ready for the magic of older vintages. Our country’s wealth is distributed more fairly across the population, and young people use their disposable income to learn about and enjoy wine. Restaurants are filling up our glasses to match more discerning tastes, and older vintages are an important part of this natural progression. 

Understanding the art and elegance of aged wines 

But what is it that makes for a fine vintage wine? It’s all about balance. If a wine is out of sync in its youth, it won’t age well. In our warm climate, acidity is a key component to keep whites and reds fresh. But it would be a misconception to think only the wines produced in years of high acidity have the right disposition to age. Acid is not the only consideration; fruit, acidity, alcohol, and tannic structure must be in balance for a wine to have long-term potential. When the acidity is too high, it can just as easily throw a wine out of balance, just as overripe fruit will make a wine too heavy and fall apart. “At Dusk Restaurant, we are all about quality over quantity when we go searching for older vintages. Warm, balanced weather will produce fully ripe and better quality wine, while a vintage of bad weather and temperature extremes can lead to a wine of lesser quality,” says Bafana Zondo, head sommelier at Dusk Restaurant and winner of the Eat Out Woolworths Wine Service Award.   

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Good-quality wines with the right components will soften and integrate as the years go by, but only wines that are originally well-balanced remain elegant and structured as they age. While high-quality aged wines certainly come with a certain bragging status, they are not necessarily superior 15 years after their production. Age-worthy wines hold a different kind of appeal at both stages in their life cycle, and not every palate will appreciate both. 

Choose red wines over white, especially those made in the Bordeaux tradition, at which South Africans excel. Although reds are a more reliable choice, there are plenty of awarded age-worthy wines in the white category. “I usually advise my team at Dusk Restaurant to serve fine old white wines and champagne slightly warmer than younger, fresher wines. As for vintage red wines, [it’s best to] pour the wine gently into a decanter and stop pouring when you see sediment moving into the neck. Decant older vintages 15 to 30 minutes before serving to get the best out of it,” explains Zondo. 

Tips for successful wine ageing  

If you’re ageing your own wines, aim for a maximum of five to 10 years using no less than a case at a time, tasting a bottle each year to monitor (and enjoy) its progress. You’ve also got to be careful about the conditions of your cellar. South African cellars are often too warm, even when they are underground. Make sure your space is cool, dark, and ventilated, without too much airflow. Vibrations and movement have an impact on a wine’s journey to maturity, so be sure to have a system in place that keeps you from having to shuffle your collection around.  

Before you start your at-home collection, familiarise yourself with the flavour profile of high-quality vintages. Know what they taste like, so you know what to expect. You can do this by going to tasting sessions at your local retailer and asking for advice, recommendations and information on where and when to attend.   

Be prepared to spend money; it’s not just any wine that can be successfully stored to drink at a much later date. Awarded, high-quality wines come with a price tag to match.  Delayed gratification is integral to the production of older vintages but enjoying them is instant. Let’s raise a glass to their formidable legacy! 

Ginette de Fleuriot is a Cape Wine Master and the Wine Education and Training Manager at Vinimark.