The decision to bottle age the wine you have purchased is very personal. While most white wines are to be enjoyed within two or three years after their vintage date, many red wines will evolve and improve with additional aging. This is particularly the case for Château Val Joanis Reserve Les Griottes.
The components of these red wines will evolve and interact. The wine's aromas, flavours, tannins and pigment interact with oak compounds imparted during fermentation and barrel aging. Tannins and pigment compounds will link together to form longer, smoother tannins, softening the tannic impression of the wine.
Over time, the wine shifts in color from purplish to brick red, and develops increasingly complex flavors and aromas..
However, for a wine to improve through additional aging, proper storage conditions are necessary.

 The optimum temperature for wine storage is between 10 °C and 12 °C (50 °F and 55 °F), although any constant temperature between 5 °C and 18 °C (40 °F and 65 °F) is fine. It is important to keep the temperature constant and avoid rapid fluctuations. Too high a temperature ages wine faster and prevents it from developing its full complexity, too low a temperature delays maturation and can result in deposits or suspensions developing in the wine. White wines are affected far more by temperature variations than reds.
When temperatures vary the wine expands (when it is warm) and contracts (when it is cool) and the corks may push out or pull in accordingly, allowing a tiny amount of oxygen into the bottle. If enough oxygen enters the bottle, over time it will spoil the wine.
 Humidity between 60-80%. Humidity over 80% can encourage mold, while dry conditions can cause evaporation and oxidation.
 Wine stored in darkness is more likely to retain its clarity. Light reacts to proteins in the wine to form a haze as well as other unpleasant effects, such as off aromas and flavors. Avoid storing wine in direct sunlight, as light ages wine prematurely.
 Wine should be stored in a calm environment. Constant vibration from nearby machinery or domestic equipment, such as a washing machine, will disturb all types of wine but is particularly harmful to the sediment in red wine. Excessive sound creates vibration and should also be avoided.
 Odor-free: the storage area should be free from chemical odors, such as cleaners, household paints, etc. Odours can easily enter the cork and contaminate the wine. Good ventilation will help eliminate such problems.
 Wine bottles should be stored on their sides so that the corks stay moist and create an effective seal. White and rosé wines should be kept in the coolest part of the cellar.

At home, basements are usually ideal for storing wine because of their cool, constant temperature and darkness.. If you are planning a serious wine collection and have no suitable storage location, wine storage systems are available from a number of manufacturers.

SERVING WINE

 The temperature at which a wine is served has an immense impact on its taste. Red wine should be slightly cooler than room temperature, but never warm. A bottle of red wine that seems warm to the touch should be refrigerated until the bottle seems cool not cold. White wine tastes best chilled, but not so cold that the flavors are masked. To chill a bottle quickly, fill a bucket with ice and water and let sit for fifteen to thirty minutes.
 Decanting is pouring wine into a decorative container before serving.
Hold the bottle over a lit candle to illuminate any solids that have collected in the bottom, and then pour the wine slowly and carefully into the decanter until nearly all of the liquid is transferred and the sediment remains in bottle neck.
Young red wines with strong tannins that almost chewy, woody, astringent taste greatly benefit from decanting. As the wine is poured into the decanter and left to sit for thirty minutes or so, oxygen soften tannins and pushes the fruit forward to intensify the bouquet and delight the palate.
Older red wines benefit from decanting, which eliminates sediment. Some older wines, however, are too delicate to retain their essence for long when exposed to oxygen during decanting. Decant older wines at the last minute.