2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14
Collection wines are drinks for true connoisseurs. After all, you must admit, not everyone can understand by taste when the wine was prepared (what year the berry harvest was) and in what area. Most will simply note the incredible taste and aroma of the wine. However, it is very easy to get used to the exquisite taste, and once you try such a drink, you will want more.
General classification of wines
In order to understand what collection wines are, one should generally understand their existing classification. Surely everyone knows that this drink is obtained by fermenting squeezed grape juice with or without the addition of pulp. Berries for this drink are chosen as one variety or several, depending on the method of making wine.
So, if we talk about the quality and aging time of this alcoholic drink, then there is the following classification:
- Young wines. Those are considered to be those that were implemented before the first of January of thatyear following the harvest for him.
- Wines without aging. Such wines become if they were sold from the first of January.
- Aged wines. They must be aged for at least six to eighteen months or more before being bottled.
- Vintage wines. Only high-quality aged wines can receive such an appellation. They can also include such types of this alcoholic beverage as controlled names of origin. These wines are produced in strictly defined areas, they use special grape varieties. They also have a name that is prohibited from being used in other areas.
- Collection wines. This is a special kind of alcoholic beverage. Such wines withstand standard technology, then bottled, and in them they must last at least three years. But most of the time it takes much longer.
As you can see, collection wines are characterized by long exposure, after which the wine acquires a special delicate taste. It is no coincidence that such drinks are in great demand, however, they are much more expensive than simple wines. If you decide to buy vintage collection wine, it will be much tastier and more valuable. Such drinks are distinguished by characteristic recognition and aging time in the bottle.
How to drink elite wines
It is no coincidence that they say that only those who understand them can understand collection wines. It is they who know how to drink such exquisite drinks. Here are some tips:
- Wine should have the optimum temperature before bottling (for example, for red wines it is 16-18 degrees). Only in this way you can feel the real taste of this drink.
- Also, before pouring wine into a glass, let it breathe for a few minutes after opening the bottle. By reacting with oxygen, the alcoholic drink will reveal its aroma.
- Choose the right glassware for your wine. The glass should be wide, but slightly tapered towards the top, then the aroma of the drink will accumulate in it and you will fully feel its bouquet. Do not pour a full glass, otherwise the wonderful smell will simply have nowhere to collect and you will lose it.
- Another important recommendation would be to not open the bottle immediately after carrying it. The longer they carried and loosened it, the more time it takes to defend and rest.
The most famous brand of Crimean wines is “Massandra””
Perhaps the most famous collectible Crimean wines are those of Massandra. It is here that the oldest and largest enoteca is kept, the history of which goes back to the beginning of the 9th century. The beginning is associated with Count Vorontsov, who first took up the industrial production of Crimean wines. Further, this work was continued by the son of the count, and also very successfully.
Further, since 1891, Prince Golitsyn made a huge contribution to the development of winemaking in the Crimea. He not only laid new vineyards, but also a unique collection of wines, which was selected from the best representatives from all over Europe. It included about thirty-two thousand bottles.
Of course, the collection survived the hard days during the war, and anti-alcohol companies at the behest of the leadership, but today it is considered one of the best in the world.
Massandra wine collection
Now let's take a closer look at what unique collection wines of the Crimea the Massandra winery contains. To date, it can be found at least eight hundred wines. If you count all the bottles, it will be at least a million. Of course, this is not one room, but ten galleries.
The pearl of the Massandra collection can be considered the wine of the 1775 vintage. This is Jerez de la Frontera. As you can see, it is quite ancient, but it has not lost its truly unique qualities. That's probably why it was sold at auction for fifty thousand dollars in 2001.
Also in this collection you can find such rarities:
- white Muscat "Massandra" harvest 1896;
- port wine red "Massandra" vintage 1893;
- "Tokai Ai-Danil" harvest 1906.
Of course, this is not the whole list of collectible and unique wines that this winery can boast of. More can be found in various stores that carry this product.
Tokay wines
Very often a collection of collection wines includes Tokay, because it truly has its own special exquisite taste. Only in this area unique natural conditions are manifested, which are not found anywhere else. very manyVineyard owners would love to make their own wine like this, but the grapes from the Tokaj valleys have nowhere produced such amazing berries as they do at home.
Tokay wine gained worldwide fame by 1150. By 1606 drinking the drink had become fashionable. For example, in Russia, to the royal table of Peter the Great, regular deliveries of Tokay were provided. It really went like hot cakes, and not only among the royal families, but also among the less noble segments of the population.
So, what is so special about this wine? The area where the vineyards are located has special natural conditions that cannot be found anywhere else. During the ripening period of the crop, in autumn, it rains very often. This entails a change in the grapes - it is affected by a special mold that does not harm people. After the rains, a rather long period filled with sunny days follows. At this time, the berries are raisined right on the branches. They are then used to make wine, which has a unique taste and aroma.
Essence wine is considered the most difficult to produce, and therefore more expensive. It sometimes takes decades to prepare. This is the time it takes for it to ferment. This is due to the fact that this alcoholic drink is made from pure raisins, naturally, much less juice is obtained than from fresh grapes. It is believed that due to its composition, this wine can last much longer than other similar drinks.
The most famous expensive wines
Now considera small list of the most expensive wines in the world:
- Heidsieck&Co. Monopole Champagne. This 1907 wine was valued by experts at $275,000. Obviously, this happened due to the special conditions of its storage - during the First World War, it drowned in the sea and lay there until 1998.
- Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. This wine is from the 1945 vintage. It was made in France. They offer $114,614 for a bottle of the drink.
Of course, there are quite a lot of such wines in the world, because many people have already realized over time that their purchase is a significant financial contribution.
Where can I buy collectible wines?
If you decide to buy a collection of wine, you should know that you need to buy it in specialized stores. This is due to the fact that such drinks must be stored in special conditions so as not to lose their taste. Particular attention should be paid to online stores, which now offer such products in a large selection.
Practically in every big city you can find a good shop with collection wines. Moscow, for example, has two Massandra branded shops. Here you can buy wine in beautiful boxes, which come with instructions on how to properly handle the exquisite drink.
Besides this, there are a sufficient number of trusted online stores, where a much larger variety of wines is presented. They can also be purchased at auctions, which are held there with an enviableconstancy.
What occasions are these wines suitable for?
Red and white collectible wines are a universal gift for special occasions. They can be presented for a birthday to the hero of the day, taken for a romantic picnic or ordered for a date. Collectible wines are perfect for a wedding celebration and as a gift for newlyweds.
It should be noted that, according to European traditions, even now in wine-growing families, in the year of the birth of a child, a certain number of bottles of wine are laid in the cellars. They put in the wine that has already settled in barrels at the time of the birth of the child for two years. Consequently, in twenty or thirty years, the wine becomes quite collectible, with excellent taste and aroma.
This tradition is also considered a wonderful investment, because after decades the value of old aged wines increases significantly. It should be noted that if funds allow, then they lay good wines that are purchased from various well-known producers. So, for example, Patrick Newes, who is the chief oenologist at JM Brocard, walled up about six hundred bottles of various wines in his home cellar when his second daughter was born.
How to choose a collection wine?
To make a first-class gift in the form of collection wine, you should know some subtleties in its acquisition. First, decide what you want to buy it for (for a gift, for a celebration or for relaxation). If this is a present to someone, then you should first find outthe tastes of the one to whom you will present it.
If you decide to donate wine for a future collection, you should know that it will become such in ten years, and you need to store it in proper conditions. Most often, collectible red wine is given for the future, since it is this wine that is aged the most.
You should also know that if you purchased such an exquisite alcoholic drink and found sediment, then this is how it should be. Some of the elements in these wines settle to the bottom and sides of the bottle over time.
Conclusion
So now you know what aged wines are, how they differ from others and how to choose collection wines. If you still decide to buy yourself such an exclusive drink, then remember that you need to enjoy it according to the rules. This is how you can fully experience the taste of fine wine.
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