Preservation
Once a bottle is open, the air immediately begins to
change the wine. The first effects are favorable, i.e. breathing, but
ultimately air will begin to change the wine into vinegar. The crudest,
yet most common, solution to saving an open bottle of wine is to put the
cork back in and put it back in the refrigerator or cellar. You cannot
expect old or delicate wines to survive this way, but most young whites
and light reds will last a couple of days. The wines will lose a little
freshness, and the taste will be flatter, but they seldom become
undrinkable.
If you know that only half of the bottle is going to be
consumed, as soon as you open it, decant half of the wine into a
half-bottle, then re-cork it and put it back in the refrigerator or
cellar. Of course it is much better to drink the other half of the bottle
as soon as possible, but it can last for up to a week using this method.
Since the late eighties, the wine industry has focused
on devising ways to reserve unfinished bottles. Wine-conserving gadgets
work on two basic principles: remove the air from the bottle to leave a
vacuum and put an inert heavy gas onto the surface of the wine. The
results from both methods seem to be quite erratic. For the die-hard
preserver, the Vintage Keeper is a far more sophisticated and expensive
inert gas device, and seems to have favorable responses. The simple
solution? Drink or share any special bottles in one sitting.
Storing Wine
In today’s modem society, few people have the luxury
of having a cavernous or subterranean wine cellar. Most wine drinkers have
less than perfect storage arrangements, but that does not mean that wine
should not be protected from damaging conditions. There are several
factors that determine the success of an aging bottle: temperature, light,
humidity, movement, and placement.
Temperature
With central heat and air, our standards of room
temperature have changed dramatically. The comfortable 70°F that is
common in most homes today can wreak havoc on wine. An ideal storage
temperature ranges between 45°F and 55°F. You can store wine to within a
degree or two of freezing, but be careful that the wine does not actually
freeze, or you will potentially have a spoiled bottle of wine, a
protruding cork, and a mess. At the other end, wine can be stored up to 68°F.
but remember that the higher the temperature the more rapidly the wine
will mature.
Try to avoid large temperature variances. Constant
temperature is the key to proper storage. A cooler spare room is ideal, as
long as the temperature does not spike when guests arrive. Similarly,
outdoor buildings and attics are usually poorly insulated, allowing for
dramatic temperature variances.
With all that said, there are places in the common home
that are acceptable for wine storage. Choose the spot carefully, and
monitor the temperature often. North facing walls, old fireplaces, and
upstairs cupboards can all provide a comfortable location for wine
storage.
Light
Light, both sun and ultraviolet can cause problems for
wine. Luckily, most wines come with a natural defense...a colored bottle
or colored cellophane. In addition, you can take extra precautions and
simply the cover the wine with a blanket.
Humidity
The relative humidity of the air can cause problems for
wine. Most cellars are kept at a high humidity. This is easily noticed by
the moist, damp, stench of the air. Low humidity can cause the cork to
dry, allowing oxidation to occur inside the bottle. Ideally, relative
humidity should range between 55 and 70 percent. The only real consequence
of high humidity is the gumminess of the labels as the moisture breaks
down the paper and glue.
Movement
Wine does not take well to constant movement or
vibration. It should be kept still, preferably on a horizontal wine rack.
Bottles should always be stored on their sides to keep the wine in contact
with the cork. Today’s market is flooded with racks of different shapes,
colors, and materials. Some manufacturers will even custom design racks to
fit your specifications. Normal bumping and transportation will not ruin a
bottle of wine; however you should allow a bottle that has been shaken up
the chance to recover. A few days should do the trick. Be especially
careful of red wine that contains sediment. Make sure it has had a few
days of stillness before you try to decant.
Other Cellar Options
If you are set on storing very expensive or especially,
old wines in a cellar, there are a few options. To begin with, you can
purchase a cellar for your home. They are very effective, but they are
also space consuming and expensive. Another option is to rent cellar
space. There are now self-storage systems where you rent a temperature
controlled vault and come and go with your wine at your discretion. But
for most people, a simple wine rack in a cool, damp place will suffice.
![[Slate Run Vineyard]](images/SRV_top.gif)
