usually toward the brown.
White wines and light-red rosés benefit
from about a year of bottle aging, during
which time the aroma develops and the
amount of free, odorous sulfur dioxide
decreases. Many red wines improve greatly
after a year or two in the bottle, and some may
develop for decades. All wines have a finite
life span, and their quality eventually
declines. White wines develop overtones of
honey, hay, wood, and chemical solvents; red
wines lose much of their aroma and become
flat-tasting and more plainly and harshly
alcoholic.
Special Wines
In the last few pages, I’ve described the
general method for making dry table wines,
which usually accompany meals. Sparkling,
sweet, and fortified wines are often sipped on
their own. Here is a brief account of their