We always welcome questions from readers and customers, and find that many of you have similar inquiries, so we answer them right here in the weekly wine column. We recently have heard from a couple of different folks that wines they were holding to drink on special occasions had not aged very well when they got around to opening them. The question is how do you know how long a wine should be aged?

The answer is two-part and unfortunately, the first part is not so straightforward. It is very much a matter of personal taste and your own palate preferences. When you find a wine you really like, and make the decision to either buy it in quantity so you can have some over time, or just an extra bottle or two for special occasions, you should try it from time to time. When you open that bottle and it wows you, that is when it is ready to be drunk! Pull it out of the wine rack and pull the cork on the next special occasion.

The more technical answer has much to do with winemaking and harvest. Acid is what gives wine longevity, so wines with higher acid levels tend to be more age-worthy. When grapes are harvested early in the morning and at times before sunrise, sugars are depressed and acids are elevated, resulting in higher acid levels in the finished wine. Acids can also be emphasized and enhanced during winemaking through a number of techniques, but the most common way wine ends up with higher acid levels is by picking grapes that are a bit less ripe and by managing the time of day of harvesting.

Here is the rub. Wines that are built to age typically don't show or drink as well in their youth, and conversely, many wines that taste delicious when released by the winery don't age very well. Wines with lower acid are typically more fruit-forward, have higher alcohol, and are rich and full-bodied. So we taste them at the winery or at a wine tasting and fall in love with them. Our affections are justified, the wines are delicious and well made, but may be less likely to stand the test of cellar time. The best way to learn a wine's potential for keeping for a later special occasion or to keep a stock of it in our cellar is to ask the winemaker or your favorite wine professional. Avoid the easy question of "How will this age?" and go for a more nuanced approach. Ask the winemaker or professional about the harvest. Inquire about the specific conditions in that year, and the winemaker's general preference for time of day harvest and grape ripeness levels. This will steer you toward more age-worthy wines, but may still result in them not tasting quite as good right now.

In a recent tasting note, I described the aromatics on a wine as "cedar spice box." The question was, how does wine get that aromatic, and to describe it further. I have an antique spice rack that my grandfather made. When I open the drawers of the rack and drop my nose into the opening, that is "cedar spice box", the combination of the cedar wood with a number of brown and baking spices that have been stored in it for generations now. Aromatics on wine like clove, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme and other herbs actually come from the oak barrels the wine is aged in, and how long the wine stays in barrel. A number of factors like barrel manufacturer, country of origin, toast level and others influence what type of nuance and the strength they impart on wine.

When you write a weekly column like I have now for five years, one of the inspirations for style and content is to read other columns. I enjoy the weekly column from Harvey McKay. I like his style and always garner nuggets of good advice. Last week, Harvey wrote of Thanksgiving and the real meaning of the holiday and the act of giving thanks. Mary and I receive wonderful feedback and encouragement on the articles. After five years of writing the column, I have some thanks to give. First and foremost, thank you to all of you who read my column, and for all the great comments you give back to us. As long as you keep reading I will keep writing. It is, in short, an honor. Also thanks to all at the Press: Josh, Hilary, Beth, and Lucy Dukes, who helped me get started on it. And finally, thanks to Mike Patrick, I appreciate him as the editor; I admire him as a writer. Happy Thanksgiving, and as Harvey McKay said, "happy thanks giving."

If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can email [email protected], or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party, a wine and tabletop decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George has also worked as a judge in many wine competitions; his articles are published around the country, and he is the wine editor for Coeur d'Alene Magazine (www.cdamagazine.com).

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