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Anniversary wine for 2030 – Ask Decanter

What should I buy now as a special bottle to drink in 2030...?

Nathan Harder, by email, asks: I am getting married in August 2020. We both love wine and are looking to spend £200 or less on a 10-year anniversary wine.

We love Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or blends of both. We’re also taking a liking to red Zinfandel. What do you think would age well and be good in 2030?

Anthony Rose, an awarded wine writer and regular contributor to Decanter, replies: Congratulations! Assuming you’re not waiting until 2020 to find out what that vintage will be like, and if you’re prepared to push the boat out for a Cabernet-Merlot blend, you could do worse than plump for a Bordeaux cru classé from a great vintage such as 2010.

In that vein, Vieux Château Certan, albeit at just over £200 a bottle, is magnificent; Les Forts de Latour, a similarly priced chip off the Château Latour block, is extraordinarily dense; while just over £100 will buy the exceptional Pessac-Léognan cru classé, Château Haut-Bailly.

For a great Zinfandel with longevity, my choice would be the remarkably rich, spicy and ageworthy – not to mention cheaper – Ridge, Lytton Springs Zinfandel 2016.

Stored undisturbed in a cool dark place, any of these wines should be coming into their own beautifully in 2030.

This question first appeared in the June 2019 issue of Decanter magazine.


See also: Decanter’s guide to anniversary wines 2019

See also: How to choose where to store wine


See more wine questions here

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