Maturity advice

Different wines mature in different ways, so we provided recommended drinking windows based on when, and for how long, a wine might be ready to drink.

The best time to drink a wine often depends on personal tastes: do you like the fresh, youthful aromas or more development? We are always on hand to discuss how wines might evolve in the cellar.

So, the dates we provide are subjective. They’re very much a matter of opinion, designed as a guideline rather that a rule. We also provide a description with our drink dates:

• Leave: should be left to mature
• Improving: A wine which has matured sufficiently to be drinkable, but where further development is anticipated
• Ready: a mature wine, expected to provide enjoyable drinking up to the 'to' date

Deciding drink dates

Our buying team provides the suggested drink dates, based on tasting either barrel samples or wines after they have been bottled.

Changes to dates

We review our drink dates on an annual basis. This means that drink dates may be adjusted for wines in our customers’ own reserves. Any wines which are approaching the end of their drinking window will be noted in the quarterly cellarage bill.