GWA Cellar Selection Tasting | The Art of Ageing Red Wine | Tue Mar 16th 2027

Cellar Selection: The Art of Ageing Red Wine
 
 
Five Exceptional Wines. Five Regions. One Fascinating Question.
 
 
What happens when great red wine is given time?
 
Most wines are consumed within a few years of release.
 
The world's finest wines are built for something very different.
 
They are designed to evolve.
 
 
For this special Cellar Selection, we have assembled a remarkable collection of mature red wines from some of the world's most prestigious regions to explore one of the most fascinating subjects in wine: how great wines change and develop with age.
 
 
This tasting is not focused on a single country, grape variety or region. Instead, it is a journey through the world's great fine wine traditions, examining how different styles respond to time in bottle and what separates wines that merely survive from those that truly flourish.
 
 
From the granite slopes of Hermitage and the vineyards of Stellenbosch to the gravel soils of Saint-Julien, the hills of Barbaresco and the limestone-rich vineyards of Burgundy, these wines represent some of the most respected expressions of their respective regions.
 
 
Many wine lovers have heard phrases such as "cellaring potential", "tertiary aromas" and "bottle development". This tasting allows you to experience those concepts firsthand.
 
 
A Rare Opportunity to Taste Mature Fine Wine
 
 
One of the challenges facing modern wine lovers is that mature fine wine has become increasingly difficult to access.
Many collectors purchase these wines only to keep them hidden away in private cellars for decades. By the time they reach maturity, prices have often risen significantly and availability becomes extremely limited.
 
 
This tasting provides a rare opportunity to compare multiple mature fine wines side by side and explore how different grape varieties, regions and winemaking philosophies evolve over time.
The line-up includes the celebrated Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2015, one of South Africa's most iconic wines and a landmark vintage that helped elevate South African fine wine onto the global stage.
Alongside it sits the highly regarded Léoville Barton 2018, one of the great names of Bordeaux, offering an insight into the structure, balance and longevity that have made the region famous for centuries.
 
 
The tasting also includes mature examples from Hermitage, Barbaresco and Marsannay, allowing participants to compare Syrah, Bordeaux blends, Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir through the lens of bottle age.
 
 
Together, these wines provide a fascinating opportunity to study how different grape varieties mature and how age can transform texture, aroma, flavour and complexity.
 
 
The Wines
 
 
Domaine du Colombier Hermitage 2016 (100ml)
Kanonkop Paul Sauer, Stellenbosch 2015 (100ml)
Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien 2018 (100ml)
Pio Cesare Barbaresco 2016 (50ml)
Sylvaine Pataille Marsannay Clos du Roy 2019 (100ml)
 
 
Why This Tasting Is Different
 
 
Most tastings focus on grape varieties, countries or regions.
This tasting focuses on time.
Throughout the evening we will examine:
 
How primary fruit evolves into tertiary complexity
Why some wines age more successfully than others
The relationship between tannin, acidity and longevity
How aromas such as cedar, leather, tobacco, forest floor, dried flowers and spice develop over time
Whether maturity always improves a wine
How to recognise wines that are approaching their peak drinking window
 
This is an opportunity to build confidence in assessing maturity and understanding the ageing potential of fine wine.
 
 
Rare Wines, Carefully Shared
 
 
Many of these wines have been cellared for years and are increasingly difficult to source.
In some cases, replacement bottles are either unavailable or prohibitively expensive. Rather than keeping these wines hidden away, we have chosen to share them with a small group of fellow wine lovers.
 
 
Some wines are therefore offered in smaller sample sizes. The 50ml pour of Pio Cesare Barbaresco reflects the rarity and limited availability of the wine rather than its importance within the tasting.
The pricing reflects the sample sizes while ensuring access to wines that would otherwise be difficult and expensive to experience in a comparative setting.
 
The Experience
 
 
Your wines will be preserved using argon gas and prepared specifically for the tasting. Sample sizes vary according to availability, with some wines offered in smaller measures due to the limited quantities remaining in our cellar.
 
 
Join us live on Zoom for an in-depth two-hour guided tasting session, where we will explore the history, geography, soils, viticulture, winemaking and ageing potential of each wine. Along the way we will discuss why these wines matter, how they compare with their international peers and what makes them worthy of a place in a fine wine cellar.
 
 
The sessions are designed for both enthusiastic wine lovers and experienced wine students. Whether you are discovering these wines for the first time or returning to structured tasting after completing your studies, you will find plenty to enjoy.
 
 
Many of our alumni tell us that they miss the opportunity to taste and discuss wines in a focused environment. These sessions provide a chance to reconnect with those skills, revisit classic regions and benchmark your palate against a range of outstanding wines.
 
 
For those who wish to approach the tasting in a more structured way, WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting (SAT) notes can be provided on request.
 
 
To ensure a highly interactive experience, places are limited to a maximum of 12 participants. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions, discuss the wines and share observations throughout the evening.
 
 
All sessions are recorded and available to view for one month after the live event.
 
 
Pricing
 
 
We believe in being completely transparent about our pricing.
The cost of each Cellar Selection is based on the current market value of the wines included, together with delivery costs and a £25 tasting session fee.
 
 
In many cases, the wines being poured are mature vintages that are no longer widely available. The opportunity to taste them side by side, guided by an experienced educator and in the company of fellow enthusiasts, is what makes these evenings truly special.
 
 
UK and EU delivery only at present. Wines will be dispatched during the week of the tasting.
 
Some of these wines will reappear in future tastings in the series so this may not be your only opportunity to try them.