The Benefit of Time

Many of the best wines have always been known for how aging improves them.

One of the longest-lived red wines is Barolo from Italy, which at the upper echelons of quality is best at 40 to 50 years. Igor Normann/Shutterstock

Most fine red wines benefit from time in the bottle.

Although most of the wine sold in the United States is consumed within hours or a few days of its acquisition, better red wines are made with the understanding that they are a living product and improve with some maturity.