Bottle Shock

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Most of us have probably heard the term "bottle shock," but what does it mean? (And no, I'm not referring to the movie!)

Wine, for the most part, is a living thing. And, like most living things, we like our space. We really don't like enclosed/tight spaces, and neither does our wine! Wine is usually fermented in large barrels. The wine is able to ferment freely in the large space. However, when the fermentation process is finished, wine is then put into its bottle. When you put it in its bottle, it changes completely... this is bottle shock, (or bottle sickness as some people call it).

Conclusion: never drink a wine that is newly bottled because it needs to rest, or "age." The wine is still finding its home in the bottle, and therefore you won't get its ultimate bouquet and flavors when it's first put in the bottle.  For most wines, it takes about a month for it to overcome bottle shock. So, if you just bought a 2010 vintage, you might want to hold on to it for a couple more months, just to be safe.

Pinot Noir wines are the only wines that go into bottle shock for 6-18 months after being put into their bottles. No one is really sure why it takes them such a long time to get over their "sickness," but a good rule of thumb is to let your new Pinot Noir wines sit, or only buy older vintages.