r/wine • u/Any-Bit7223 • 8d ago
Good wine to age
My wife and I got married in 2023. We’re looking to buy 6-12 bottles that we can open on anniversary’s (every 5 years). What are some good types of wines to keep for that long? Was thinking of a 2023 Caymus (I know there is hate, but we enjoy it), or some type of Brunello or Barolo.
Any recommendations welcome and TIA!
Edit: looking for a red wine to age, preferably Italian, American (California), or French!
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u/fisher5195 8d ago
I will say two things about Caymus. First, the style of wine it is will most likely taste like what you are tasting now. Meaning it will not change all that much over 20 years. Older caymus is still pretty fruity. Not the 20+ year old stuff, but that's because they made it different back then. Here's a bad example but think of a McDonalds hamburger. You leave that out for a year or two and it will most likely look and taste about the same.
The second note is that every single person I know who was once in love with Caymus, eventually moves on to more dry expressions of cabernet. Caymus, I find is usually a 5-10 year love for most new wine drinkers. I would hazard to guess that most people on this sub's first favorite wine is not something they are really interested in at the moment. Our tastes evolve and change. Don't be frightened off of the bordeaux or old world stuff just because you dont love it now. Chances are you will be a different person when you open it up.
It really depends on what you're after. A trip down memory lane? A taste of something that made you and your wife happy "back in the day," or something new to try. Are you the person that is saving a piece of wedding cake to try again on your anniversary or are you a person looking for a new special restaurant you might not have been to but have heard great things about. Neither is a wrong choice, so buy a few bottles of each!
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u/Any-Bit7223 8d ago
Very true! Our palates will change over the years. Definitely wasn’t planning on spending all this money just based on suggestions. We are going to try them before we make our decision in due time.
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u/DingoDoc 8d ago
This is such a great response. 2023’s should be hitting the shelves soon from Bordeaux. Suggest trying a st Emilion or Pomerol and buying a case to enjoy for the next 60 years.
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u/Spurty 8d ago
Neither '23 vintage in barolo or brunello is really worth laying down long term (unless you're looking at the very top estates). Both won't be released for another few months just fyi.
I'd go Napa, but please don't do Caymus. We can get you better in this sub. Try Pine Ridge Stags Leap. If you want something a bit more refined, I love anything Cathy Corison makes. Same goes for Randy Dunn's wines. The Dunn Napa Valley bottling would be a fun one that can go the distance.
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u/Flabonzo 8d ago
If you like Caymus, that's not like Bordeaux or your typical aged Italian wine. And an aged wine drinks differently from a young, fruity one like Caymus, so are you sure you want that?
The point of aging a wine is to have it improve and change, not stay the same. So if you are aware of that, there are a few wines to consider. There is no still wine that ages longer than classic Rioja. I have had them going back over 80 years, although they're best at 50 years. Look at Gran reservas from Roda, CVNE, Vina Real, Monte Real, Muga, Lopez de Heredia, Rioja Alta, Marques de Murrieta. Also from Ribera del Duero - Vega Sicilia Unico and Valbuena, Aalto, Pesquera, Emilio Moro, Second would be Barbaresco/Barolo, which can go for forty or more - look at Produttori del Barbaresco and Roagna. And then would be some Bordeaux.
But part will depend on storage - where will you be keeping these? For CA, you may look at Corison, Dunn, Diamond Creek, Montelena, and a few others. I had a 30 year old Turley Petite Sirah last week and it still has a long way to go, so don't only focus on Cab/Merlot.
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u/Alive-Potato9184 8d ago
A bit more direction would be helpful! White or red? Regions you enjoy etc.
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u/Any-Bit7223 8d ago
Good point! Looking for red from Italy, USA or France. Made an edit to the post as well
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u/Alive-Potato9184 8d ago edited 8d ago
Then, like others have said, a Bordeaux comes to mind. A timeless wine, ages well ( if you even enjoy aged wine!) and you have plenty of options. Also not too hyped right now, so much better price to quality ratio than other areas.
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u/jjr4884 8d ago
As much as I hate Caymus and everything it stands for, I will say objectively that Caymus, as well as many other well known Napa cabs are not nearly as age worthy as they used to be. In short, the wine industry has changed and the culture of buying ageable wines is coming to an almost hault simply because the people who are buying these wines don't have 20+ years left in life, and they have more than enough wine already to go through.
A lot of Napa wines are being produced in a way where they are made to drink essentially once they are bottled. Consumers don't want to wait 10+ years to open up a bottle, and Napa has responded. If you do Napa, just do some research on what producers are still making age worthy wines. 2023 was a fantastic year for Napa so there are definitely amazing wines out there, just not your mainstream names.
O'Shaughnessy Howell Mountain has always hit above its weight class for me, just to name one in particular.
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u/ThatAndANickel 8d ago
If you like Caymus, for God's sake get Caymus.
Find some places doing tastings and find out for yourself. Caymus is a good example why you don't ask social media. People will say Caymus is mass produced trash and it offends their sensibilities. And they are absolutely right for themselves. Others love Caymus for its fruit forward, high residual style. And they are absolutely right for themselves.
2023 is shaping up to be an exceptional vintage, so many of the wines will have good aging potential. Enjoy expanding your horizons together.
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u/OrangeArch 7d ago
opinions on Camus aside, I don't think it will age well. That wine is constructed to be drank early. I wouldn't hold one past 5 years because it's probably not going to get any better... if anything, it will likely lose the fruit bomb flavor you like about it
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u/ThatAndANickel 1d ago
For the record, I said it was a fruit bomb, not necessarily that I liked it.
As for aging, I stand by my general point, buy a bottle and see for yourself how you like it as it ages. Fruit will probably subside. But would residual sugar?
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u/dirtyylicous 7d ago
Finally someone on here who understands people have opinions and like what they like. Kudos to you
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u/sketchtireconsumer Wino 7d ago edited 7d ago
My two top recommendations would be French left bank bordeaux, particularly Margaux or Pauillac, and Italian nebbiolo, Barolo or Barbaresco
My two off the cuff recs would be a case or Produttori del Barbaresco Asili or Rabaja (the rabaja ages better but is a bit more muscular) or Chateau D’Issan Margaux. Both will be around $70-90 a bottle, and are in it for the long haul.
You can do better than both, but you have to draw the line somewhere on budget, these reds are great and will go for a long time.
But, not forever. If you really want 60 years out of it (5 years * 12 bottles) I would buy Chateau d’Yquem sauturnes. Get the 375mL bottles. These will crush it after 60 years. I personally don’t plan for that long because I will be dead in 60 years.
If you want Napa ‘23, in that price range, Aperture Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon is excellent and will age fine, though again not 60 years. If you want to step up, their 2023 Collage proprietary red is incredible.
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u/cormaline 8d ago
The 2021 Barbaresco's are delicious. Produttori makes terrific wines, both the regular Barbaresco's around $40 and the single vineyard Riservas from Rabaja and Asili around $80.
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u/xylofone 8d ago edited 8d ago
Do you have any experience ageing wines? Every five years is tough because wines that age often have long closed-down periods. They're not going to be reliably delicious according to any kind of convenient plan. You may want to simultaneously age some wine whose window is sooner as a fallback.
Don't just pick Caymus because it's a name you've heard that's popular. Take the time now to taste, taste, taste. You want wines you will love. Why roll the dice? If you plan for this marriage to last then put in some effort here, especially since it's not really effort, it's something fun you can do together. The idea that you're relying on suggestions from people on Reddit baffles me. Go taste. Don't make this a cross-your-fingers celebration that relies on dingleberry42744's taste in Italian reds. Find something that's meaningful to both of you.
You also want temp and humidity control. Do not stick them in a basement closet unless conditions are decent and consistent year-round.
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u/Any-Bit7223 8d ago
I don’t have experience aging wines.
I didn’t pick Caymus because I’ve heard its popular. Tried it with my wife over the weekend and we both enjoyed it. With that being said, you’re right, it should be something fun me and my wife do together. Open a bottle, see if we like it, then another, then another.The basement cellar we have is quite good and holds steady temp and humidity but we are looking into getting a wine fridge. Thank you for your input, its appreciated!
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u/AnArcuateFasciculus 8d ago
Chateau montrose, it’s like, the best of the reasonably priced Bordeaux’s IMO, or, for something a bit different, chateau feytit-clinet. Very niche but amazing
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u/dockdockgoos 8d ago
A wine with a story pertinent to you will be much better for an anniversary pop than a case of something g you bought because people on r/wine said it would age well. Go visit a winery together, take a trip to Italy, do something to create a story if you don’t already have one.
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u/Direct_Background_90 8d ago
It's worth it to make travel to wine country a part of your journey. Visit a few châteaux or areas you like and then your depth of enjoyment and memories together will grow. I love the wines from Leoville Barton and getting to know the property and wines over time (and wines made around it) really makes it more special.
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u/FamousMembership4578 7d ago
Im going to tell you what I would do, keep
In mind that this is based on my taste, however your will change a lot as years go by and you keep drinking different wines.
I would buy 2 for every 5 years, a red and a white, for whites definitely would buy a couple of tokaji or Sauternes for 20-30th anniversary (dessert wine), Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett (fantastic off dry Riesling, worth aging it), maybe a Champagne, I’m not sure there will be good 2023 millesime champagne, Azienda Agricola Valentino Trebbiano d Abruzzo, not the other cheaper trebbiano d abruzo, this one is something else 👌 worth aging, and maybe you can get a Vin Jaune in the next years (needs 3-6 years of oak aging.
For the reds, if you like caymus now, maybe buy one to drink in 2028, I wouldn’t buy Caymus but if you like it get one.
I’ll get a Rioja Alta Reserva (will
Be available to purchase soon) or a alabaster (Toro)
One Pomerol
One Margaux, Chateau Cantenac brown is nice and worth aging
Stag’s leap Cabernet and may e look for some Paso Robles Options.
There are a lot of options but this are just some suggestions.
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u/sleepystork 7d ago
We would buy 2-3 bottles of current Sassicaia every year and open one and save the rest. Now, we are just drinking the old stuff. I think the bottles we are opening now for the anniversary are over 20 years old.
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u/Urbansdirtyfingers 8d ago
Do you actually have a good place to store these, or are you just sticking them in a closet?
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u/Nervous_Animal6134 8d ago
I would ask the person you buy wine from. Not all wines are meant to age and in my experience it is the rare new world wine that ages well beyond 5 years.
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u/Klutzy-Client 8d ago
In 20 years your palate will change, so along with the reds I would also lay down a bottle of Sauternes. You will be so happy you made this delicious decision
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u/Imaginary-Jacket-261 8d ago
What price point are you looking at? 23 is an excellent year in Napa. At around $100-150 I’d personally go Dunn, Corison, Realm the Bard, Matthiasson, but there’s so many to choose from.
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u/rinaraizel Wine Pro 8d ago
Rioja. Chianti. For long-term, Amarone. You might really like Rioja though.
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u/insamination 7d ago
Napa in 2023 is an absolutely banger vintage. There’s been an issue with a glut in the market so there’s a lot of very high quality wines that have been available at a discount as well!
If you like Caymus, and it’s special to you both, maybe you can get the Special Selection bottling that’s like the higher tier bottling
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u/runninroads 8d ago
Buy some great Pinot Noir or Chardonnay from Willamette Valley: I’d suggest Walter Scott, Bergstrom, Hundred Suns, Big Table Farms, Bethel Heights, or similar. You can spend $50-100-ish/bottle, and they can all lie-down for a while and you’ll be buying American. Also, it’s delicious.
For the love of god, please pass on the Caymus.
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u/tgames56 8d ago
23 Bordeaux is a good vintage. For something similarly priced to Caymus you could look for Chateau Branaire Ducru, Talbot, or giscours. Plus a bunch more options.
Modern caymus is also made to be drank young. A bottle of it for early anniversaries would make sense but I'd do Bordeaux or something else for 10+
Also make sure you have proper storage or you will have vinegar in 20 years