If you had to make a generalization at this point; the thicker the skins, the harder the vines have to work, the more classic the vintage, the higher the quality and the more ideal the storage conditions -- the longer a wine is going to age.

But remember, there really aren't any quick and easy rules for determining when a wine will age and for how long. The biggest caveat is still to come -- personal preference.

Determining how good a wine is and how long it should sit depends entirely on whether you like your wine big / bold / young and fresh, or prefer a subtle / softer, more delicate wine. Yes, technically there is an optimal point at which quality wines reach their prime. But if you enjoy your 2005 Stag's Leap Winery Napa Cab so big that the inky rich blackberry, mouth-puckering tannin and monster body jump out of the glass and smack you across the face, have at it.

If, on the other hand, you prefer to quietly sip a 1985 Ducru-Beaucaillou St. Julian, Bordeaux and relish the delicate and cerebral leather and tobacco notes, complex red / black fruit tones and integrated and lengthy finish, cheers to you, too.

Regardless of how you prefer your wine, there are a few words of warning when trying to figure out just when to pop that next great bottle:

• If you drink your wine too young, you risk missing out on some of the depth and complexity that can only come with a little aging, instead getting blindsided by raw, underdeveloped power.
• If you drink your wine too old, it may loose most of what made it great in the first place and shrivel to a dusty, flat, tart hollow shell of what it once was.
• Quality is key. As simple as it sounds, the higher the quality (all things being equal for varietal, region and vintage) the more aging potential a wine possesses.
• Quality doesn't always mean more expensive. Typically, big, expensive wines are built to last. The price tends to rise as the wines age. But one is not always dependent on the other.

Because there are so many uncertainties and variables surrounding the ideal age for wine consumption, the best course of action is to consult a trusted retailer or sommelier. Or, if you have some gems that you have been sitting on and want to know when to drink them, send me an e-mail and I will let you know when to invite me over for dinner to drink it.

Otherwise, drink what you like when you like.

Just don't get your hopes up too high for that really old bottle in the basement. But you'll never really know until you pop the cork -- it may be quite an adventure.