Have you heard of a wine being closed before? It is definitely something that comes up, but what is a closed wine? And is it a good or a bad thing? It seems like something you wouldn’t normally find in a wine glass or on a tasting note sheet when you’re trying wine. So what does it actually mean? In Wine Terms Explained, I unpack some of the weird wine terms used to describe wine. There are some truly odd ones out there, and sometimes it can be hard to know what the tasting notes even mean. These guides break down the wine terms so that you can get back to enjoying wine! So let’s jump into what this term actually means.
What is a closed wine?
It would be easy to hear the term and think it is about whether the wine has been opened or is still closed. I mean surely if the wine has been cracked open or the cork popped or not is what we’re talking about, right? Well, actually this term isn’t about if the wine has been physically opened, but more an attribute of the wine itself.
To understand a closed wine, let’s first start with an open wine. You’ve probably heard the term ‘Letting the wine open up’. This happens when oxygen interacts with the wine, allowing the wine to show its full potential in the bouquet, across the palate, and all the way through the finish. Depending on how old the wine is it may open up quicker than another wine, so it really depends.
So now we know what that is, a closed wine is the exact opposite of an open wine. When a wine is closed, it is restrained, nervous, subdued, tight, and well…closed off. Closed wines don’t give off much in the nose, seem thin on flavour across the palate, and can have little or no finish.
What causes a wine to be closed?
So what causes a wine to be closed? Well usually, a wine that is closed is too young, just bottled, or has incurred bottle shock from travelling, and/or being overhandled. The great thing about this is that it if the wine is closed, it can usually be salvaged by some simple steps. So don’t fear – you won’t need to throw the wine out!
How to remedy it
Just because a wine is closed doesn’t mean it’s a bad or off bottle, and there are a few things you can do to help it open up:
- Cellar the bottles for longer – this only works if you have more than one bottle. If you open one and it isn’t any good, be sure to keep the remaining bottles aging for longer. This process over time will help the wine open up.
- Use a decanter or aerator – If you’ve already opened the wine, use an aerator or decanter to help oxygen come into contact with the wine, which will open it up. It could take a few hours depending on the wine. If you don’t have either of these, pop the cork back in and leave it for 24 hours or so in cellar conditions.
Both of these methods should help the wine open up and make it far more enjoyable!