Definition: apogee

In general, the advice given in tasting notes about the optimal time to appreciate the full complexity of a wine recently released on the market, for example, "drink within 5 years", means that it will need to be cellared for 5 years to mature and for its tannins to soften. An empirical method is to say that the peak period will last at least as many years as the wine needs to reach its peak. This means that a wine that needs to be aged for 5 years should be drunk in its entirety within 10 years. With a batch of 12 bottles, the best approach is naturally to open a few bottles at a time to determine the optimal moment of peak quality.

Unfortunately, frequent confusion between peak and longevity leads to a very regrettable consequence. The second concept refers to the point at which the wine enters a phase of decline and must be consumed quickly. Poor storage conditions can lead to reduced longevity and unpleasant surprises when tasting the wine.