Storing White And Red Wine
Storing wine is what we’ll be looking at in this part of our wine 101 guide… The first thing you need to know when it comes to wine storage is to place your bottles on their side somewhere relatively cool and free from direct light. If you do this, youll be able to keep your wine for longer because the flavors won’t be damaged. However, learning a little more than the basics is advisable and thats what we’ll look at now. When it comes to preserving wine, temperature is the thing that makes the most difference. Keeping your wines between 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal; though a range of 45 to 65 degrees is considered acceptable. A temperature below the ideal range will prevent your wine from aging correctly. A higher, warmer temperature causes premature aging (not in a good way). Fluctuating temperatures hurt wines the most. As bad as it is, a steady temperature in extreme heat or cold is much better than constantly varying temperatures, even if the change is within the ideal range. The temperature should never fluctuate more than 5 degrees a day; this is especially important for red wines, which can be more damaged than whites from fluctuations. Humidity is also important as, unless its properly maintained, it can cause the cork to dry out, and this allows air to come into contact with the wine (which damages it). Try to keep your storage areas humidity level at around 70 to 80 percent, you can buy a hygrometer to keep track of this. A wine cellar is the ideal place for storing wine because it maintains the optimal humidity and temperature; however, they aren’t practical for most people because of their size and cost. If a wine cellar isnt practical for you, place your bottles in a garage or basement to achieve similar conditions. Just install a wine rack in one of these locations and include a thermometer and and temperature / humidity guage to keep track of conditions. As for how long to store it for, this depends on the type of wine, the region the wine was made in, the technique used to make it, and the particular year the grapes were harvested in. In general though, you should drink whites quickly and age reds for five to 10 years. If you’re starting out, aging charts (which are available free online) can help you see when a wine is typically best enjoyed. |
