How to choose a bottle of wine?

Choosing a wine may seem complex, but a few reference points are enough to make the right choice. Understanding the tasting moment, the style of the wine and its evolution allows you to buy with confidence and fully enjoy every bottle.
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Tips for choosing your wine

How to choose a bottle of wine Is an old wine necessarily better than a young wine? How to read a vintage without making mistakes? Why do some wines need to wait before being drunk? How can I tell if a bottle has been well stored? Should I keep or open my bottle?

How to choose a bottle of wine

Most mistakes come from a very common reflex: looking at the bottle before thinking about its intended use.

A wine is not chosen solely for what it is, but for the moment for which it is intended. An impressive bottle on paper can disappoint if opened too early. Conversely, a wine at its peak, sometimes more understated, can offer a much more rewarding experience.

So it is always where one must start: asking when and why the wine will be opened. A dinner, a gift, an anniversary wine, a first discovery, a bottle to keep… this simple reflection already helps to guide the choice in a very concrete way.

Most of our product pages are enriched with expert opinions, detailed tasting notes and indications on the optimal drinking window, to guide you as best as possible in your choice; we also make available to you a vintage rating chart which allows you to visualise the general conditions and the scores for each year by region.

Is an old wine necessarily better than a young wine?

We often mistakenly associate age with quality. Yet an old wine is not "better" than a young wine. It is simply different.

Some wines are designed to be drunk quickly. They rely on fruit, freshness, and energy. Keeping them too long risks losing what makes them charming.

Others, on the contrary, need time. Their structure needs to soften, their aromas to evolve. Opening them too early would mean missing their potential.

The real question is therefore not the age of the wine, but its moment.

Choosing a young wine means accepting a degree of anticipation. The wine can evolve, improve, and surprise.

Choosing an old wine is making a more immediate choice. The wine has already travelled its path. It no longer promises — it expresses itself.

For someone discovering this world, it is often more comfortable to turn towards wines that are already accessible. This helps avoid the disappointment of a wine that is too closed or difficult to read.

How to read a vintage without making mistakes?

The vintage is often the first element one looks at, and rightly so. It tells the story of the year, the conditions in which the wine was produced.

A balanced year generally produces more complete, more structured wines. But this does not mean they are ready to be tasted immediately. Great vintages very often require time.

Conversely, a more accessible vintage can offer a great deal of pleasure more quickly.

Consult the vintage ratings

Why do some wines need to wait before being drunk?

Not all wines are built to evolve in the same way.
Wines meant to be drunk young are often more supple, more immediate, fruit-forward. They are made to be enjoyed without waiting.

Wines built for ageing have a different structure. They are more concentrated, sometimes firmer in their youth. With time, these elements integrate, the aromas gain in complexity, and the wine finds its balance.
This potential depends on many factors: the grape variety, the terroir, the winemaker's work, and also the vintage.

Generally speaking, a Bordeaux wine, often made from structured grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, will have greater ageing potential than a lighter wine from Beaujolais, made from Gamay, a variety that favours fruit and accessibility.

How can I tell if a bottle has been well stored?

When faced with an old bottle, certain signs can be worrying. Yet many are simply related to the passage of time.

A slightly lower level, a marked label, a worn capsule… all of this is normal. The wine evolves, and the bottle bears its traces.

What truly matters is never an isolated detail, but the whole picture. A bottle that is consistent in its ageing is generally reassuring.

 

Learn more about the condition of bottles

Should I keep or open my bottle?

The peak of a wine corresponds to the period during which it reaches its best balance, when its aromas, structure and texture are fully expressed. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a precise moment, but a phase that can last several years.

Wine being a living product, it evolves over time. In its youth, it is often expressive and fruit-driven. It may then go through a more discreet phase, before reaching maturity, where everything harmonises: the tannins soften, the acidity integrates and the aromas gain in complexity.

It is at this stage that the wine is considered at its peak. Over time, it gradually enters a phase of decline. This does not mean it becomes immediately unpleasant, but rather that it loses intensity and structure, sometimes offering a more delicate expression.

A wine capable of ageing generally possesses body, acidity and, for reds, sufficient tannic structure. If one of these elements is lacking, it should be drunk more quickly. Conversely, highly structured wines, such as certain great Bordeaux, Rhône or Bandol, often require time to soften.

The vintage also plays a determining role. Depending on the climatic conditions of the year, the same wine may be ready sooner or later. This is why it is always useful to place a bottle in its context.

 

How do you know when to open your wine?

The peak of a wine corresponds to the period during which it reaches its best balance, when its aromas, structure and texture are fully expressed. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a precise moment, but a phase that can last several years.

As wine is a living product, it evolves over time. In its youth, it is often expressive and fruit-driven. It may then go through a more restrained phase, before reaching its maturity, where everything comes together: the tannins soften, the acidity integrates and the aromas gain in complexity.

It is at this stage that the wine is considered to be at its peak. Over time, it gradually enters a phase of decline. This does not mean it immediately becomes unpleasant, but that it loses intensity and structure, sometimes offering a more delicate expression.

A wine capable of ageing generally has substance, acidity and, for reds, sufficient tannic structure. If one of these elements is lacking, it should be drunk more quickly. Conversely, highly structured wines, such as certain great Bordeaux, Rhône or Bandol wines, often need time to soften.

The vintage also plays a determining role. Depending on the climatic conditions of the year, the same wine may be ready sooner or later. This is why it is always useful to put a bottle back into its context.

 

Learn more about opening and serving a wine
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