The Process Of Decline

Eventually, the reductive processes inside the bottle will contribute to its decline. The fruit flavours will begin to fade; the acidity (always present, sometimes masked) will start to dominate; the aromas will lose their freshness. The wine is now past its best and in time it will decay and die. Keeping Conditions A wine will age differently in different conditions. Temperature plays the biggest part in altering the rate of change. These factors are to a large extent under the control of the wine merchant and the final purchaser, and are discussed on the next six pages.