Virtually all products that are aimed at our consumption have an expiration date or best-before date. Why does wine not expire?

One of the many peculiarities of wine is that it It is still suitable for consumption, even after a long time.

It may have lost some of its organoleptic qualities, but it will not be harmful to our health, as evidenced by the fact that bottles that are hundreds of years old continue to be opened.

Once the wine is bottled, a series of processes begin in its components (alcohol, acids, natural preservatives and other elements produced during winemaking) that oxidize and undergo more complex bonds due to chemical reactions. Small amounts of oxygen, various Types of alcohol, tannins, polyphenols, esters… take center stage at this stage, modifying the final product, giving the wine nobility and quality.

The wine acquires a greater diversity of aromas, its color also changes, it becomes clearer, rounder in color, and is more intense. mouthfeel, more refined, with a more homogeneous mixture, this is what is called bottle aging or bottle storage.

All these processes occur inside the bottle, but there are other factors that are exogenous, such as temperature, light, type of bottle, cork… that influence the storage and are crucial for the conservation of wine. A simple change in temperature, as well as oxidation, can spoil or degrade the wine.

Once the wine is bottled, it usually goes through three phases: maturity, where the wine increases its quality; culmination phase, when the wine reaches its highest quality; and the decline phase, where the wine begins its stage of degradation.

For wines that are intended for ageing, the winemaker’s recommended shelf life usually appears on the label, although it is not an expiration date, but rather a recommendation.

If the wine is stored in an ideal place, with a constant temperature and light, appropriate, we can enjoy this wonderful and noble drink, a living product in continuous evolution.