Andy Montoya
Wine and cheese are two of the most popular foods in the world, and their history is just as fascinating as their taste. Archaeological research shows that people have been making cheese for about 7,500 years, with the oldest pieces of cheese ever discovered being over 3,000 years old. Similarly, the practice of ageing wine dates back thousands of years, with records of ancient Romans ageing wines in smoke chambers to enhance their flavour. Today, both wine and cheese continue to be aged and appreciated for their complex flavours and textures. The ageing process involves a series of chemical reactions that transform the flavour, aroma, colour, and texture of these foods over time. While not all wines and cheeses improve with age, many develop unique characteristics that are sought after by connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike.
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What You'll Learn
The longest-aged cheese and wine
The aging of wine and cheese is a nuanced art and science. While most wines are not meant to be aged, and most cheeses are aged for a year or less, some vintners and cheesemakers have pushed the boundaries of their crafts, creating products aged for several years or even decades.
The Longest-Aged Cheeses
Cheese is typically aged from a few days to several years. Fresh cheeses are often consumed without any aging, while soft cheeses are usually aged between two weeks and two months, and hard cheeses are aged for longer periods, from a few months up to two years or more.
One of the longest-aged cheeses available in the US market is a five-year-old Parmigiano Reggiano, a hard cheese known for its complex, nutty, and somewhat fruity taste, and hard, gritty texture. This cheese is quite rare, and two- or three-year-old wheels are more commonly found, though they are still hard to come by.
Taking aging to the extreme, Wisconsin cheesemakers Hook's Cheese Company released a 20-year-old cheddar, retailing at a whopping $209 per pound. This exceptional batch is extremely rare, accounting for less than 1% of the company's production. However, Hook's regularly offers more accessible aged cheddars, including 10-, 12-, and 15-year varieties.
The Longest-Aged Wines
While most wines are not designed for extended aging, some wines can benefit from decades of aging, allowing their flavours and aromas to develop and evolve. However, the exact length of time a wine should be aged depends on various factors, including the type of wine, the vintage, and personal preference.
Some wines, like fine art, can increase in value over time as they age gracefully in cellars and collections. These rare and exceptional wines are often sought after by connoisseurs and collectors alike.
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How cheese and wine age
The process of cheese and wine ageing, or "affinage", is a complex and fascinating one. Both products undergo changes in flavour and texture over time, with the right conditions being key to a successful ageing process.
Cheese Ageing
Cheese ageing occurs when bacterial culture is added to milk, creating lactic acid from lactose and making the milk sour. This process, along with the addition of rennet, which causes coagulation of fats and proteins to form curds, is essential to the distinctive flavour and texture of cheese. The type of cheese dictates the ageing period, which can range from 3 months to over 12 months. During ageing, microbes and enzymes transform the texture and intensify the flavour, resulting from the breakdown of casein proteins and milk fat into amino acids, amines, and fatty acids.
Cheeses like Camembert, Swiss, and Gorgonzola develop their unique characteristics during ageing. For instance, the bloom blossoms on Camembert, holes burst into Swiss, and veins shoot through Gorgonzola. Cheeses with distinct sharp or tangy tastes, such as cheddar, gouda, and parmesan, are typically aged for longer periods.
Wine Ageing
Wine ageing, a practice dating back thousands of years, involves a series of complex chemical changes affecting colour, aroma, and flavour. The right amount of oxygen entering the bottle through the cork promotes a mellowing process, enhancing the wine's characteristics. However, too much oxygen can lead to excess oxidation, negatively impacting the wine's quality. The ideal conditions for wine ageing include a cool, damp basement or a dedicated wine fridge maintained at a temperature of around 55°F.
The minimum ageing time for most wines is about 6 months, with some requiring longer periods, especially those with high ABV or very tannic wines. Sweet, high ABV wines are suitable for very long-term ageing, while some lower ABV wines may start to lose their appeal after a couple of years. Wine ageing is an art and a science, with each wine having its own unique ageing requirements and potential.
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The history of ageing cheese and wine
Ageing Cheese: A Centuries-Old Craft
Ageing cheese, also known as ripening or maturing, is a critical step in the cheesemaking process, allowing time for microbes and enzymes to break down proteins and fats, developing texture, taste, and aroma. This process, known as affinage in French, translates to "refinement", aptly describing the transformation that occurs during ageing. While most cheeses on the market are aged for a year or less, longer ageing times can impart a firmer texture and more intense flavour to the cheese.
The ideal ageing time varies depending on the type of cheese. Fresh cheeses are often consumed without any ageing, while soft cheeses are typically aged for 2 weeks to 2 months. Hard cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, are aged for longer periods, ranging from a few months to 2 years or more, resulting in a complex, nutty, and fruity flavour with a hard, gritty texture.
The ageing environment is crucial to the success of the final product, requiring careful control of temperature and humidity. Traditionally, caves or cellars were used for ageing cheese, but modern alternatives include adapted fridges, wine fridges, or containers in a cool space. Maintaining correct and consistent temperatures, typically between 7°C and 14°C, is essential to prevent cheese from drying out or becoming too humid, which can lead to undesirable moulds.
The Art of Ageing Wine: A Timeless Pursuit
Ageing wine, although only relevant for a small percentage of wines, is a practice that has been refined over centuries. While the majority of wines are meant to be consumed soon after production, a select few are deliberately aged to develop more complex flavours, aromas, and textures. This process involves a combination of chemical and physical reactions that occur over time, influenced by factors such as grape variety, vintage, and winemaking techniques.
The length of ageing for wine can vary significantly, from a few months to several decades, depending on the wine's style, region, and producer. During this time, the wine undergoes slow oxidation and other chemical reactions that contribute to its evolving flavour and aroma profile. Proper storage conditions, such as consistent temperature and humidity, are crucial to ensuring the wine ages gracefully without spoilage.
In conclusion, the art of ageing cheese and wine has a long and illustrious history, with both practices involving a delicate balance of time, science, and craftsmanship. While the processes may differ, the ultimate goal remains the same: to unlock the full potential of these beloved culinary delights, transforming them into something truly extraordinary.
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How long cheese and wine can be aged
The length of time that cheese and wine can be aged varies depending on the type of cheese or wine.
Cheese
Cheese can be aged anywhere from a few days to several years. The aging process, also known as ripening, is important for the development of a cheese's appearance, texture, flavour, and aroma. Softer cheeses like Muenster or mild cheddar take less time to age, while semi-hard and hard cheeses like sharp cheddar, Swiss, or Parmesan require a longer period of time to develop their desired texture, flavour, and aroma. Not all cheese needs to be aged, and some are meant to be enjoyed fresh, such as cream cheese, farmer's cheese, cottage cheese, mozzarella, and feta.
Cheeses that are suitable for aging include firm or crumbly cheeses like cheddar, gouda, camembert, and parmesan. During the aging process, microbes and enzymes transform the texture and intensify the flavour of the cheese. This transformation is largely due to the breakdown of casein proteins and milk fat into amino acids, amines, and fatty acids.
The longest-aged cheese mentioned in my sources is a 20-year-old cheddar from Hook's Cheese Company in Mineral Point, Wisconsin.
Wine
Wine can be aged for a few years to several decades, depending on the varietal. Aging wine allows its flavour to develop more fully, creating a whole new set of tastes known as tertiary notes. Red wines are quite flexible when it comes to aging, with some being aged for just three to five years, while others can be aged for decades. White wines can also be aged from one year to several decades, with bottles that have higher acidities and sugar levels being able to be aged longer. Fortified wines, such as Port, Madeira, and Sherry, can last for several decades due to their high alcohol content.
The Ancient Greeks and Romans were known to age their wines, and this practice continued after the fall of the Roman Empire, especially for sweeter and more alcoholic wines. Today, only about 5-10% of wine improves after one year, and only 1% improves after 5-10 years.
The longest-aged wine mentioned in my sources is a 184-year-old bottle of Perrier-Jouët, which was still drinkable and had notes of "truffles and caramel".
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The benefits of ageing cheese and wine
Ageing cheese and wine is an art and a science. Both are consumable goods that can improve with time, but only under the right conditions.
Cheese
Aging, sometimes called ripening, is the most important stage of cheese production. During the aging process, cheese loses moisture and undergoes changes in flavour and texture. Microbes and enzymes transform the texture and intensify the flavour. This transformation is largely a result of the breakdown of casein proteins and milk fat into a complex mix of amino acids, amines, and fatty acids.
The work of aging cheese is called “affinage,” coming from the French verb "affiner", which means “to refine”. As the cheese ages, intact proteins break down into smaller protein pieces called peptides and free amino acids, which are the fundamental building blocks of protein. These molecules may contain flavours themselves or may break down or react with other compounds to form flavours. For example, the eggy flavour in some cheddars is a result of amino acid breakdown.
Similarly, fat breaks down into free fatty acids, which can interact with our scent and taste receptors more readily. These fatty acids can also react to form other flavour compounds. Lactose, the sugar found in milk, is fermented into lactic acid at the beginning of the cheesemaking process. That lactic acid is then broken down during the aging process. The eyes in Swiss Emmentaler, for example, occur because of lactic acid breakdown.
The type of cheese dictates the aging process. Soft cheeses like muenster or mild cheddar take a shorter amount of time to age, whereas semi-hard and hard cheeses like sharp cheddar, Swiss, or Parmesan require a longer period of time to yield their desired texture, flavour, and aroma.
Wine
Wine is a complex combination of many chemical compounds, which change as they interact with each other and their environment. Intricate reactions between the acids, sugars, alcohols, esters, and phenolic compounds in wine are what modify the aromas in the bottle. When we age wine, we hope for changes that cause the wine to mature well by gaining a complex mix of complementary flavours.
As the chemical reactions that take place during aging vary between grape varietals, regions, and even crops from year to year, they are not easily quantifiable. But what we do know is that as the compounds in wine react over time, they create new flavours, changing the original product into something more complex and subtle. A correctly aged Pinot Noir can gain aromas of truffles; a Syrah can become fragrant with rich spices.
Esters are one kind of compound that contributes to the wine's aroma. Esters are created when the alcohol in wine reacts with the acids. The type of yeast used during fermentation plays a major role in determining what kinds of esters are produced during this process of esterification. Hydrogen, which is more abundant in wines with greater acidity, encourages this reaction to take place.
Tannins, the most important phenolic compounds in wine, undergo polymerisation as wine ages. Once bound together, tannins fall to the bottom of the bottle as sediment, lose their ability to bind with other compounds, and the aged wine loses its astringent qualities and starts to taste mellower.
Wine ages best under cool conditions. An 18°F increase from a baseline of 55°F doubles the rate of chemical reactions in wine. A temperature of 55°F is the perfect environment for the chemical reactions that result in good wine. But it's too cold to allow other, undesirable reactions that can give wine unwanted aromas. Wine ages best at a temperature that is both cool and constant.
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Frequently asked questions
Archaeological research shows that people have been making cheese for about 7,500 years. The oldest edible cheese on the market today can be aged for up to 18 years.
The practice of aging wine dates back thousands of years. In ancient Rome, wines were stored in sealed earthenware amphorae and kept for many years. Today, most wine is meant to be consumed within a year of production, and 99% within 5 years.
Aging cheese allows its proteins and fats to break down and harden, developing unique flavor profiles and textures.
Aging wine allows its flavor to develop more fully, creating a whole new set of tastes called tertiary notes.
For those looking to age wine at home, a cool, damp basement or a dedicated wine fridge can help maintain the ideal temperature for wine aging, which is between 55 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit.
