Care should always be taken to pay attention to individual vintage assessments and individual growers when considering the aging potential of red Burgundy. Generally speaking, expect a Grand Cru wine to live three to five years longer than a Premier Cru. Some great red Burgundies, whilst hinting at their true potential when young, seem to close up after a couple of years and only reveal their rich, deep complexity after a decade or more. Take advice on a case by case basis. In Champagne, Pinot Noir adds longevity to the blend.
Good ones repay long cellaring for ten years after the vintage.
The still red wines of Champagne should not be aged and can be drunk lightly chilled. Pinot Noir from Carneros, Santa Barbara and Monterey County, all in California, are showing some potential for cellaring. Long Island in New York State is also producing examples which will last for four or five years. Australia Nearly all Australian Pinot Noir should be drunk within the year. Only the very best, like Mount Mary, Yarra Yering, Coldstream Hills Reserve or Mountadam, can be kept for up to four years.