"Ray" > wrote in message
...
> The last few years I have been trying to extend my maceration and waiting
> until the cap truly falls. I have been letting it go for 20+ days. I
have
> been getting glorious color extraction and have been happy with the wines
> when young (18 mo's) but they have not been keeping well beyond 2-3 years.
> I wonder if this is because I left them too long.
>
> I have not been using inert gas but I have been laying a layer of sarane
> wrap over the surface to keep air contact to a minimum when the cap starts
> dropping. Like I say, no sign of oxidation when it becomes drinkable but
it
> has not been keeping well.
>
> Just a comment. Any opinions would be welcome.

Could be the structure of the wine was never appropriate for long term
aging. If the pH was on the high side and/or you used minimal SO2 that
could account for the short aging potential.

Tom S