Telegraph
Whether you are a wine enthusiast or not, owning a bottle of vintage wine is worth it. Be it for gifting or making a toast at your milestone parties, vintage wine is the go-to option for many.
Thanks to the ever-expanding internet landscape, e-Commerce now includes vintage wine in the extensive line of products that you can buy from the comfort of your homes. When it comes to vintage wine, opening a bottle is always subjective. Though the same can be said while buying vintage wine online, it takes more than the personal choice to finish the deal.
You cannot blindly choose a bottle of vintage wine from any online auction house just because it looks fancy. A lot goes on behind the process to make that bottle of wonder taste heavenly.
To experience the same, you have to check a few factors before buying a bottle of vintage wine from auction houses or other retailers:
Look For Information
When it comes to buying vintage wine online, this is a significant advantage compared to shopping in-store. Vintage wine comes in different styles like Bordeaux, vintage Champagne, mature Rioja, and more. There are also fortified wines like Madeira and Port.
With so many options on the rack, you must know everything about the wine you are buying. A good online store selling wine will have all the information available at a click. You can take your time; learn everything about the wine before you buy it.
Start with the description on the product page and look for blogs or guides on the website to learn more about the vintage wine they sell.
Buy From Reputable Sellers
You must buy rare and vintage wines from well-known sources which have a good reputation. Research more on the authenticity of the online wine retailer that you are looking to buy from.
Online auction houses are excellent places to buy vintage wine. As they offer an assortment of wine from sellers around the world, you can even find that one vintage wine you’ve been looking for, for ages.
Make sure the place is reliable. Read reviews about the seller and then make a decision. You can look for specialist wine auction sites where you can buy cases as well as bottles.
Check How the Wine Is Stored
While buying vintage wine online, you have to pay special attention to how it has been stored. One way you can check that is by looking at the ullage. Ullage is the headspace or the fill level in the bottle. It is the space between the wine and the cork of the bottle.
The ullage level gives you clues to know more about the vintage wine, especially if you are not sure how it has been stored. If the ullage is lower than the mid-shoulder level, then that bottle of wine has a high chance of spoilage.
Drastically and abnormally low ullage levels means the wine bottle was stored in poor conditions, in places with low humidity or high temperature.
Know the Age Of The Wine
Wines get better with age is something you would have heard a million times, and there is no denying it. If you purchase a bottle of wine today, it will taste less enticing than ten years later. Yet, just like wines that improve with age, certain wines taste good when you consume them more quickly.
Certain wines have a limit on their timeline for aging. If they are stored or aged for too long, they can be past their prime. So check the type of wine and its age beforehand.
Check the Region and Fruit
Many factors decide the aging process of wine. It is the levels of acidity and sugar for white wines, and for red wines, it is tannins. Certain types of grape varieties are best suited for aging. Riesling & Chardonnay are for white wine and Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, and Syrah for red wine.
A well-aged vintage wine will be made from grapes grown and vinified at places they are traditionally linked to. For example, Riesling can be from German regions, Chardonnay from Napa and Burgundy.
Look Into the Price
The final factor you have to check while buying vintage wine online is the price of it. The price of vintage wine differs drastically. It depends on various factors like age, bottle condition, producer, and more. And sometimes, the price will not be a factor determining the quality of the wine.
Wine is all about exclusivity and personal taste and choice. Sometimes even a cheaper vintage wine will taste better compared to an expensive one and vice versa. And online stores and wine auction houses offer transparency in prices to make your job of choosing a vintage bottle of wine easier.
Finally, when you are about to check out, ensure that you have settled the terms and conditions with the online seller or auction house. Though it may take time for you to track down that one special vintage wine, in the end, it will be a rewarding experience.
