Learn German: Es gilt, den Wein zu lagern und darauf zu warten, dass er perfekt wird. - The task is to store the wine and wait for it to become perfect.

The phrase es gilt literally means 'it is valid' or 'it counts'. However, when combined with a zu + infinitive clause, it forms a fixed expression indicating an impersonal obligation. It means something must be done, similar to 'it is necessary to', 'the goal is to', or 'the task is to'.

Why is darauf used before zu warten?

In German, you wait for something (warten auf). Because the thing you are waiting for is not a simple noun, but a whole new clause (dass er perfekt wird), you need the da-word darauf to act as a grammatical placeholder in the first clause. It essentially means 'to wait for the fact that...'.

Do I need to repeat es gilt or zu for the second action?

You do not need to repeat es gilt, because the conjunction und links the two actions together under the same obligation. However, you do need to repeat the word zu before the second infinitive verb (zu warten), just as you used it before the first one (zu lagern).

Quick refresher: Why is wird used at the end instead of a form of bekommen?