|
Cherishing and Caring for Wine
Over the last few years, wine consumption has become steadily
more popular.
With more and more money going into wine both as an investment
and for later consumption, the history of the wine will always
be point of conversation.
With this in mind, many people often wonder how to properly
store their wine, and maintain its individual characteristics
and attributes.
Proper wine storage is crucial.
Correct storage tends to lead to euphoria, while improper
storage often results in depression.
Few experiences match the enjoyment to be had when unleashing
a well aged bottle of wine. It is a joyous occasion indeed,
resulting in merriment unsurpassed by other worldly
indulgences. Whereas opening a vessel containing poorly stored
wine can be a saddening experience. Often, drinking a bottle
of wine that was poorly stored can be likened to drinking
vinegar.
Ironically, vinegar can be the result of wine which has been
tainted by vinegar fly during fermentation.
So, it's safe to conclude that a fifty year old bottle of
vintage vinegar is a disappointing experience indeed.
To properly store wine, you’ll need to take several factors
into consideration. Those being humidity, temperature,
lighting, the cleanliness of your storage area, the angle of
the bottle while it is stored and any possible movement of the
bottle on the rack.
The temperature is the most important, as you should keep it
around 50 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. This way, the lower
temperature helps to age the wine. Moderate any fluctuation in
temperature. Do not allow the ambient temperature to change
drastically, or to become too hot.
In a nutshell, as long as the temperature doesn’t go to high
and it changes slowly, your wine should be quite alright.
The proper level of humidity for storing wine should be around
70%, although it is perfectly accepted to keep it 10% above or
below the 70% level. If you have excessive humidity, the
labels can easily rot or mold, which affects the wine’s value.
On the other hand, if the humidity gets too low, around 50%,
the cork could shrink and bring air into the wine, which ruins
it in little to no time at all.
The angle that wine is stored is important as well. If the
wine stays in contact with the cork during storage, the cork
won’t dry out. If the wine doesn’t stay in contact with the
cork, the cork may dry out and allow air into the wine.
You must also keep wine out of direct light, as light ruins
any type of wine. Light also causes the wine to age
prematurely, making it essential that you store your wine in a
dark location.
To prevent damage to the wine from sediment, you should also
store wine in a location that is free of vibration. If you
store wine in places that are free from vibration, it will
give the sediment in the bottle ample time to settle.
Vibrations are murder to good wine. As sediment becomes
unsettled in the wine, it can ruin the wine by contaminating
it to the point where it becomes impossible to consume without
looking like you just stubbed your toe.
To protect the quality and investment of your wine, storage
location is also an important consideration.
Storing your wine in a proper location will bring the best
taste.
As opposed to the disappointment you will experience if you
wait several years to open a bottle of fine wine, only to find
that it is perfectly aged, vintage vinegar.
Prevention of this calamity is simple; just follow the
guidelines listed above.
Wine is easy to store and maintain, it just takes the right
conditions and location, as well as a little bit of interest
on the part of the cellar master. Everyone loves some fine
wine every now and then - which is why storage and care are
crucial.
Source:
http://www.winebuyer.net |
