23 July 2008

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How to Store Wine


from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Wine has been around for thousands of years; from the ancient Romans to modern Americans, this lavish drink is enjoyed worldwide. Nowadays, most people simply buy their wine from the local grocery store wine rack, oblivious on how to properly store the wine to make sure it lasts as long as possible. The main thing to keep in mind when storing wine is, of course, avoid light and heat, as well as vibration. There are other things to remember, though, such as the different storage methods required for different types of wine, and it is vital to be as careful as possible whenever considering how to store your particular bottle of wine.

Steps



Before Opening
  1. Keep it in the dark. Store all wines away from light, especially direct sunlight and flourescent fixtures. UV rays maderize (i.e. oxidize) wine, resulting in it become 'light struck' picking up the taste and smell of wet cardboard (especially in delicate white wines and sparkling wines).[1] Darker bottles are better protected and some bottles have UV filters built into the glass, but enough UV rays can still penetrate to ruin the wine. If you can't keep a bottle entirely out of the light, keep it lightly wrapped up in a cloth, or simply put the bottle inside a box out of the way. If it does get exposed to light occasionally, try to make sure it's light from incandescent or sodium vapor lamps.[2]
  2. Store corked wine bottles on their sides. If they are stored upright for a long amount of time, the corks will dry out, and air will eventually get to the wine, spoiling it. If you store it label side up, it'll be easier to spot any sediments that may have formed in the wine over time when you do eventually pick it up.
  3. Keep the temperature constant. For extended aging of wine (over 1 year), refrigeration is a must in most parts of the world; even a below-ground cellar is not cool enough.
    • Wine storage temperature should never go over 75 degrees F (24°C), except for brief spans of time. At 75°F, wine begins to oxidize. An ideal temperature for storing a varied wine collection is 54°F (12.2°C).[3] Letting the temperature drop below 54°F won't hurt the wine; it'll only slow down the aging process, as long as the temperature doesn't fluctuate dramatically.[4]
    • Temperature in a wine storage area should be as steady as possible; changes should be gradual. A 68 to 73 degree storage area is far preferable to one that is 45 to 65 degrees F, though the first approaches the dangerous 75 figure. Rises in temperature force wine through the cork; drops cause air to be sucked back in. The greater the changes in temperature a wine suffers, the greater the premature aging of the wine from overbreathing. The temperature should never fluctuate more than 3°F (1.6°C) a day and 5°F (2.7°C) a year, especially with red wines, which will suffer more temperature-related problems than white wines.[5]

  4. Don't move the wine. If possible, store the wines in such a way that you don't need to move them in order to reach a bottle to drink. Try not to move a bottle at all once it is stored. Even vibrations from heavy traffic, motors, or generators may negatively affect the wine.
  5. Keep the humidity at around 70%. High humidity keeps the cork from drying and minimizes evaporation. Don't allow the humidity to go too high over 70%, however, because it can encourage the growth of mold and cause labels to loosen.[6][7] You can purchase a humidity thermometer to track the moisture conditions and use humidifying or dehumidifying techniques as needed.
  6. Isolate the wine. Remember that wine "breathes", so don't store it with anything that has a strong smell because it will permeate through the cork and taint the wine. Good ventilation may help prevent musty odors from entering the wine.[8]
  7. Store for an appropriate amount of time. Not all wines improve over time. Champagne is one example. Red wines should be stored and aged for anywhere between 4-10 years to mature, while white wines should be consumed after 2-3 years of storage.[9]
  8. Adjust the temperature before serving. Different wines taste best at slightly different temperatures, which may vary from the temperature in which they were stored. Right before drinking the wine, allow the temperature to rise or fall to the appropriate serving temperature:[10]
    • Blush, rose and dry white wines: 46-57F (8-14C)
    • Sparkling wines and champagne: 43-47F (6-8C)
    • Light red wine: 55F (13C)
    • Deep red wines: 59-66F (15-19C)



After Opening
  1. Store opened white wine in the refrigerator. This will only keep the wine for three to five days if you have already opened it; make sure the cork is in the bottle as tightly as possible. If you want to keep it in the refrigerator for a longer period of time after opening, purchase a wine stopper and pump, and hope for the best. The important thing is to minimize the wine's exposure to air. If you have a smaller bottle, you may wish to transfer the leftover wine to it, because there will be less air for it to contend with. A wine cellar or closet would be better for it, though, simply because of the long amount of time many people spend with the refrigerator door wide open, letting in large amounts of light, and, if you leave the door open long enough, heat. If you happen to have a refrigerator that you do not use often, such as a pool house refrigerator, keep it there. You may even consider turning a small fridge into a wine refrigerator.
  2. Leave red wine out. For the sake of the wine, and for yourself, only do this with red wine, never white. Place the cork in the bottle, put the bottle in a dark place, and don't worry about it. This will help for a couple of days.
  3. Keep dessert wines like Sauternes, most everyday Ports and most Sherries for longer. They will resist degradation for more than 3-5 days, though exactly how long depends on the individual wine.[11]


Storage Options
  • Wine cellar. This is an obvious one- if you have a wine cellar, worry no more! Just place the bottle of wine on the rack, close the door, and you are set. Make sure to have some type of system for finding certain bottles of wine in your wine cellar, though, otherwise it can be very easy to spend a good amount of time searching for that one particular bottle.
  • Makeshift closet wine cellar. While digging a large hole in the basement would seem the most effective thing to do, that would be a major undertaking, and will cost you quite a bit. Only do that if you are an absolute fanatic about wine, and have dozens of bottles in need of long term storage. A closet wine cellar is ideal for the every day wine lover, and will probably only cost you around two, three hundred dollars. The major problem with this, however, is that if you ever want to convert this back to a regular closet, you very well may have to replace all of the sheetrock in the closet.
    • Find an empty, out of the way closet on the ground floor of your house.
    • Glue strips of 1" foam board to the walls and ceiling of the closet, using construction cement as a glue.
    • Replace the door with an insulated, preferably steel, door. If you would like, also glue the foam to this, just to make sure it is all even.
    • Attach weather stripping to the edges of the door to make sure that no air gets in or out- heat could ruin the wine.
    • Make sure that the temperature is relatively cool. There are numerous devices you can use to decrease the temperature in the closet- just find one that suits your particular closet.

  • Wine cooler/refrigerator. This will keep the temperature constant, as long as you only store wine in there so that you're not always opening and closing the door. Good humidity levels are maintained, as well. Some have different temperature zones for different wines.

OR
Store your wine with a professional wine storage company.
(think self-storage but without the roll-up garage door) Wine storage companies are popping up all around the country, especially in areas with large wine industries such as Napa Valley or Santa Barbara County in California. These business offer private cellars, often in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. Some of these companies will even accept deliveries for you which means if you do find a favorite bottle at a great price you can have the winery ship a few cases directly to your wine cellar and bypass the hassle of having the mailman refuse to drop off your wine when your 8 year old answers the door.

Video



Tips


  • Make sure the wine is safe, no matter how you eventually decide to store it. If it's only a short-term type of situation, this isn't as big of a problem, however, if you are hoping to keep a bottle of wine around for a while to help age it, you need to be sure to store it in a safe spot. 'Safe' means, in this case, out of the light, out of the heat, out of danger of being drunk, out of danger of breaking, cracking, or being dropped.
  • If you threw the cork away but still want to store leftover wine, secure the opening with a piece of plastic wrap and a tightly wound rubber band.
  • Some wines are designed to be enjoyed fresh, while others improve with age. You should only be concerned with long-term storage for the latter. If you have white wine that you want to improve by aging, do not place them in the refrigerator. This is where the wine cellar, or closet, or even just a cool, dark place, is key.
  • Purposefully developing a wine's flavor with age by controlling the conditions in which it is stored is an art and a science that requires far more knowledge than a single article can cover.
  • If you make your own wine, it would be best to have a wine cellar, especially if you plan on selling any of it. All other kinds of storage could possibly damage the wine after a long period of time.
  • Wine that has been left out and has gone bad isn't worse for you than if it were stored properly, it just has a different taste. Don't throw it out- it will still be fine for cooking purposes.
  • Talk to a local wine connoisseur who has their own wine cellar. See what they recommend, or even if they will hold on to a few bottles of your wine for you if you have no room for storage.
  • Now that your wine keeps a lot longer, why not host a wine tasting party? They are quite enjoyable for wine lovers, and a great way to find out what wines your friends enjoy.
  • Some companies across the U.S. will actually agree to store your wine for you for a fee; if you are in possession of a rare or delicate bottle of wine that you aren't planning on drinking any time soon, this is probably your absolute best bet for storage.


Warnings


  • Don't store wine with foods that are capable of fermenting, especially cheese or anything that might rot (fruits and vegetables). Moldy flavors can actually enter stored wine through the cork.
  • As always, drink responsibly.


Related wikiHows




Sources and Citations


  1. ↑ http://www.cellarnotes.net/storing_wine.html

  2. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html

  3. ↑ Personal communication, Dennis Foley, wine appraiser and auctioneer

  4. ↑ http://www.cellarnotes.net/storing_wine.html

  5. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html

  6. ↑ http://www.cellarnotes.net/storing_wine.html

  7. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html

  8. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html

  9. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html

  10. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html

  11. ↑ http://www.cellarnotes.net/how_long_keep_open_wine.htm



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