Why does wine taste better over time?
It\u2019s often said that fine wine gets better with time, and this week\u2019s oenophile listener Jeremy has a cellar full of dust-covered bottles. He is curious whether chemistry can account for the range of flavours that develop as wine matures, but also wonders why some of it tastes like vinegar if you leave it too long? \n \nWe head off to the Bordeaux region of France, where vines were planted almost 2,000 years ago. Here, winemakers are joining forces with scientists to better understand wine ageing, a process so subtle and intricate that even the scientists refer to it as magic. \n \nIn the world-famous vineyards of Chateau Margaux, presenter Marnie Chesterton learns that the key ingredient for good grapes is a sandy soil type; and that in this part of France, the warming climate is actually having a positive effect on the vines, which need very little water to thrive. Over in the lab, we meet the chemist mapping the molecules responsible for aromas associated with a well-aged Bordeaux. \n \nFeaturing: \nPhilippe Bascaules, Chateau Margaux \nProf Cornelis van Leeuwen, Bordeaux Sciences Agro \nDr Stephanie Marchand-Marion, ISVV \nAlexandre Pons, ISVV \n \nPresented by Marnie Chesterton \nProducer \u2013 Marijke Peters \nEditor \u2013 Cathy Edwards \nProduction Co-ordinator \u2013 Liz Tuohy \nStudio Manager \u2013 Sarah Hockley
(Photo: Aged bottles on wine racks in a cellar. Credit: Morsa Images/Getty Images)