Enjoy Your Wine Young, Appreciate it Aged!
One thing I really enjoy about wine is it will usually improve with age. I love to open a bottle once a month and see how it has developed and matured since the last month. While this is a fun part of the hobby, it can also be a financial burden if you attempt to use commercial wine. The major problem, wine sold in Manitoba wine stores is expensive! Even a case of a good value wine will probably run you $150 or more, which is definitely not part of my monthly budget! This is another instance where making it yourself will save you money and allow you to taste the progression of your wine!
As a wine ages the tannins will begin to soften, the primary and secondary aromas will begin to make way for the tertiary aromas. All 
this takes time and patience, but it is certainly easier to drink a bottle I made for $3 rather than one I bought for $40, on a monthly basis. Each kit makes 30 bottles, which provides a nice stock level to really enjoy the development of your wine. The Cellar Craft Sterling Amarone from my previous blog has now softened to the point where I would happily enjoy it with food or on it’s own, but last month I found it too tannic to drink on it’s own without food. I can’t wait to see what it is like next month, only time will tell.
So, what will my next kit be, maybe the CellarCraft Showcase Merlot Yakima Valley. Maybe I will taste a bottle every other month instead of every month, it is all up to me! So whatever you choose, enjoy the fruits of your labour as it will only get better with time!
Cheers,
Mike, Manager (Wine Sense, Southdale Square)
