Most wine isn't built to age.

What should you look for in a wine before you spend your next decade decade waiting?

Acid and tannin are the frame.

These are your two biggest structural clues. Acid keeps wine alive over time. Without it, the wine falls flat after a few years. Tannin provides grip and preservation for reds. Without enough tannin, they lose their backbone and turn flabby.

You want to look for wines that feel tight, even a little aggressive, in their youth. They need time to soften. If a wine already feels smooth and easygoing, it's probably showing you its best self right now.

This is counterintuitive and takes time to learn.

Alcohol can be a red flag.

High alcohol doesn't age well unless there's serious balance to back it up. That 15% fruit bomb sitting on the shelf is probably peaking right now. Lower alcohol with robust structure is usually a better bet for the long haul.

Here's why: the alcohol shows up as heat which comes to the forefront as wine ages. What feels warm but manageable at year one can turn hot and harsh at year ten.

Oak isn't aging.

People think oakiness equals aging potential. Not always. Heavy oak can add tannic structure, but will also mask flaws early on. It doesn't guarantee anything outside of the wine will tasting like vanilla or toast for longer.

Wines with light, well-integrated oak often hold up better over time and since its whats underneath the oak that matters, you'll be able to tell that easier.

Reputation matters (sometimes).

If a wine has a track record of aging well, that's a good sign, but each vintage has some variation due to weather, winemaking decisions, and vineyard changes. There is no guarantee.

Check the winery's cellar practices, vineyard site, and aging history. You shouldn't make an aging decision based off a pretty label.

The longest my family has aged our estate Pinot Noir is 17 years. The longest I've aged wine that I personally made is 6 years. Upon last check, both are still getting better.