In the absence of a time machine, a bottle of wine is the most foolproof way we have of seeing into the future right now. This is not about the effects of drinking too much wine, but how the practice of cellaring and aging wine can give us a glimpse of how a recently bottled wine is going to taste in the future. Comparing two wines from the same winery made from the same grape variety but with one being a decade or so older than the most recent vintage is something that Robin Wilson, Beverage Director at Daylesford’s Lake House, has an almost evangelical passion for.

“We have a remarkable cellar that’s been here for 41 years and part of that is an amazing collection of aged wines,” he says. “We have a cellar for the by-the-glass and faster moving wines on our list but we also have a long-term cellar with bottles that we only put on the list when they have ten to twelve years of age on them.

“Lake House is a special occasion restaurant and people who come here for a celebration like to drink something unique that they can’t get everywhere else. We had a lunch recently featuring Bindi’s Block 5 pinot noir, comparing the 2024 vintage with the 2017 and 2000 vintages. This gave us the amazing opportunity to see all the changes that happen with age, the way the primary fruit drops away and you get more texture and richness as the acid softens and broadens, displaying more texture on the palate. With the comparison, you get to witness time in a bottle.”

Given that Lake House’s cellar contains more than 13 000 bottles, Wilson’s enthusiasm is a given, but he’s equally excited about other businesses in the region which are showing a commitment to a cellaring program.

“Places like Bar Merenda and Winespeake in Daylesford and The Surly Goat in Hepburn Springs all have remarkable lists that not only put local wines next to the Barolos and Burgundies but are also committed to small producers and aging wines. This means well-balanced and exciting lists where you can always find something you haven’t seen before and really want to drink.” Access to wines with age on them also provides a handy reference point for the mere mortals amongst us who might like the idea of putting some wine aside to drink for a special occasion down the track. Being able to experience the complexity that age brings to a particular wine can be a great marker for which wines to buy for this purpose. To age wines effectively, though, you do need the right conditions.

For starters, you’ll need stable temperatures – “dark, humid and cold” is the ideal. Then, there’s the types of wines that lend themselves to ageing. For the local region, this means chardonnay and pinot noir.

“The Macedon Ranges wines that do well with cellaring are the chardonnays that are lean with good acid which means they age well,” says Wilson. “Our pinot noirs are more tannic, which is lovely because you still have that core of fruit but as they age, they start to show some really beautiful, slightly more savoury characteristics.”

In lieu of that time machine, aged wines provide a reassuringly accurate prediction of the future. In turbulent times, that’s surely something deserving of raising a glass.

ROBIN WIILSON
STORY BY M ICHAEL HARDEN
PHOTOS BY AMBER GARDENER

Lake House 4 King St, Daylesford lakehouse.com.au