You’ve bought some wine that you won’t be drinking right away. What will you do with it now?
First off, it’s important to keep in mind that just a small portion of the good wines sold today benefit from lengthy maturation. Within a few years after their release, most wines are at their best. Consider investing in professional-grade storage if you’re going to purchase wines to age. But for short-term use, consider using custom wine cellar.
There are tips to help you keep your wines secure until you’re ready to consume them. These include:
- Keep it cool
The biggest enemy of wine is heat. Over 70° F will cause a wine to age more quickly than is typically preferred. Additionally, if it becomes significantly hotter, your wine could get “cooked,” producing bland smells and sensations. Although this isn’t an exact science, the ideal temperature range is between 45° F and 65° F (and 55° F is frequently stated as being nearly perfect). As long as you open the bottles within a few years of their release, don’t worry too much if your storage is a few degrees warmer.
- But, not too cool
For a few months at most, keeping wines in your home refrigerator is alright, but it’s not a wise choice. In order to safely store perishable items, a refrigerator’s temperature must be considerably below 45° F. Additionally, the absence of moisture may eventually cause corks to dry out, which could cause air to leak into wine bottles and harm the wine. Additionally, avoid storing your wine wherever it might freeze (an unheated garage in winter, forgotten for hours in the freezer). The liquid may expand to the point of forcing the cork out if it begins to freeze.
- Dim or turn off the lights.
For long-term preservation, light, especially sunlight, may be a challenge. UV radiation from the sun can deteriorate wine and cause early aging. Why do vintners utilize tinted glass bottles, among other things? They resemble wine-related eyewear. Although the wine itself won’t likely be harmed by light from domestic lamps, your labels may eventually fade. Although fluorescent bulbs do release extremely small amounts of UV light, incandescent bulbs may be slightly safer.
- Do not worry about the humidity.
According to conventional thinking, wines should be kept at an ideal humidity level of 70%. According to the notion, dry air will cause the corks to dry out, allowing air to enter the bottle and taint the wine. This does occur, but unless you reside in a frigid region or a desert, it generally won’t happen to you. Humidity levels between 50 and 80 percent are deemed safe, and adding a pan of water to your storage location will help. However, excessive moisture might encourage the growth of mold. This may harm the labels but won’t impact wine that has been properly sealed. Dehumidifiers can help with that.
- 7. There shouldn’t be more shaking
According to certain ideas, vibration could shorten the shelf life of wine by accelerating its chemical reactions. Although there is no data demonstrating the effects of this, some serious collectors are concerned about even the slight vibrations brought on by electronic appliances. Older wines’ sediment may be disturbed by strong vibrations, preventing them from settling and possibly giving them an unpleasant gritty texture. Is this likely to cause a problem for your short-term storage unless you reside over a train station or host rock concerts?
Gourmets Food 