How to Enjoy Your Zema Wines: a guide to cellaring your wine

One of the questions we’re asked most often at Zema Estate is simple:
“What should I drink now, and what should I put away?”

The short answer is – there’s no wrong choice. Our wines are crafted to show beautifully on release, while also rewarding patience in the cellar. How and when you enjoy them comes down to occasion, company, and personal taste.

Below is a simple guide to help you get the most from your Zema wines, along with a short tasting video on our 2018 Family Selection Cabernet Sauvignon.

sideways the movie - looking at wine

Enjoy Now – drink when you are ready

Many of our Estate and Family Selection wines are designed to drink well on release, particularly with food.

You’ll find generous fruit, balance and structure that make them ideal for the table – whether it’s a midweek pasta or a long Sunday lunch.

Our tips:

Open the bottle 30–60 minutes before serving
A quick decant will help the wine open and show its full character
Don’t overthink it – these wines were made to be enjoyed

There’s a well-known moment in the movie Sideways where the idea is raised that the act of opening a great bottle is what makes an occasion special – not the other way around.

It’s a reminder that wine is living and constantly evolving, and that enjoyment doesn’t need to be postponed for some imagined perfect moment. Sometimes, the best time to open a bottle is simply when you’re ready to enjoy it.

a bottle of family selection wine sits next to limestone rocks

Cellar for Later

Zema wines are built with longevity in mind. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz in particular will evolve beautifully over time, developing greater complexity, texture and savoury depth.

If you enjoy watching a wine change and mature, setting a few bottles aside is well worth it.

Cellaring basics:

Store bottles on their side
Keep them somewhere cool, dark and consistent
Patience is rewarded – but there’s no need to wait decades

When a Wine’s Made Well, It Ages Well

There’s a common misconception that only expensive wines are worth cellaring. In reality, longevity is determined far more by how a wine is grown, balanced and structured than by its price point.

At Zema Estate, even our Estate range is produced from estate-grown fruit, carefully managed in the vineyard and made with the same attention to balance and structure as our Family Selection wines. The difference is style and intention – not quality.

Because of this, many of our Estate wines will age remarkably well, particularly in good vintages. They may not require decades in the cellar, but with a few years of patience they can develop added depth, softness and complexity.

For many wine lovers, this makes them ideal cellar candidates – wines that evolve gracefully while still being affordable enough to enjoy without hesitation.

In short, good cellaring isn’t about price. It’s about provenance, balance and thoughtful winemaking.

Serving & Pairing Tips

A few small details can make a big difference.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are best served slightly cooler than room temperature
Decanting for 30-60 minutes will enhance aromatics and texture
Pair generously: red meats, slow-cooked dishes, Italian classics and simple, and well-made food all work beautifully

At Zema, wine is always about the table – shared, unhurried, and enjoyed with good company.

Watch: Enjoying Zema Wines with Our Winemaker

In the short video below, Joe Cory shares insights into Zema’s winemaking approach and how our wines are crafted to evolve over time – reflecting the balance, structure and longevity we aim for in every bottle.

He profiles our 2018 Family Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, which was his first vintage as Zema Estate’s winemaker.