A cladogram is a stylized diagram that looks like a series of Y's or forks in a road. At each branch, or Y junction, novel characters of evolutionary origin are used to separate off one group from the rest. Cladograms can be constructed for any group of organisms.
I checked with the bubbly brain on staff, Bruce Sanderson (who reviews Champagne for Wine Spectator), and he says, Champagne can age well. High acidity and carbon dioxide act as preservatives as it ages in the bottle prior to disgorgement. After disgorgement, Champagne will develop like a still wine. If the quality is high (i.e., an excellent vintage-dated bubbly) and it is well stored, Champagne is capable of long aging.
Photo by James Merrell. The alcohol content of wine has spiked considerably. âThereâs pressure on winemakers from critics for intense flavors, and that means riper grapes,â explains Marnie Old, the director of wine studies at the French Culinary Institute, in New York City, and a coauthor of He Said Beer, She Said Wine (DK Publishing, $25).