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Properly Storing Your Wine
Wine requires cool, dark, humid, and still surroundings. While, storing it is not the most complicated process, it is a very sensitive one.
There are a few key points to keep in mind that will help ensure your liquor has the very best chance for long-term survival and optimal aging. The best storage temperature is right around 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Any kind of excessive heat will potentially ruin a bottle of wine. You also want to shoot for consistent temperatures, since dramatic temperature fluctuations will negatively impact a stored bottle.
Humidity is another factor to keep in mind when storing liquor. A higher humidity level helps to keep the corks from shrinking and allowing oxygen in.
Allowing oxygen into the bottle may result in oxidation of the wine. The ideal humidity level is between 65-75 percent.
Most colored glass bottles have UV filters incorporated into the glass, but this does not necessarily offer full UV protection. If the drink is in direct light consistently, it will result in premature aging, which will affect the flavor significantly.
Typically, whites wines are the most sensitive to light degradation, but reds will also lose if they are subjected to excessive light. Even though the top of the refrigerator is one of the most popular places to store liquor at home, it is one of the worst places for it.
The top of the refrigerator may be so popular because of its ease of access, the fact that the kids cannot reach it, or the nice little racks that fit perfectly up there. Whatever the reason is, you would be wise to find a different place for your bottles.
The heat from the appliance and direct light from kitchen lights will degrade the quality. You also run the risk of bottles falling and breaking every time you open and close the refrigerator door.
In addition, the refrigerator tends to vibrate when the motor starts running, which is several times every day. The constant vibration of the refrigerator or other major appliances in close proximity just agitates the liquor and can keep the sediment from settling in a red wine.
By intentionally storing it on its side, you will help keep the cork in constant contact with the liquid. This will keep the cork moist, which should keep the cork from shrinking and allowing oxygen to seep into the bottle.
When oxygen comes into contact with the drink, the liquid starts to oxidize, and the aromas, flavors, and color all begin to spoil. While most people do not have onsite rock wall, caves, or underground cellar accommodations, there are plenty of options to mimic these ideal conditions.
Since, light and heat destroy the drink in very little time; make sure to protect it from both by finding a cool, dark spot to safeguard your liquor. Basements are ideal storage facilities since they typically meet the cool and dark requirements.
If a basement is not an option, then just keep the bottles in a cool closet. You can also consider purchasing a wine refrigerator.
These refrigerated cabinets come in a variety of sizes and price points, offering ideal storage conditions to as few as 4 bottles to over 600. Currently there are three ways to close a bottle of liquor, including natural cork, synthetic cork, and screw caps.
Natural cork closures have been used the longest; however, they allow the drink to develop a musty smell and taste. This comes from a substance used to sanitize the natural cork prior to bottling.
The result is a flat, moldy flavor devoid of fruit-filled taste and aroma. Synthetic corks are derived from plastic and appeared to be a viable alternative to traditional corks.
However, their inability to keep oxidation at bay for any real length of time significantly decreases the shelf life and short-changes the maturing process of select wines. Screw caps provide the best seal for bottles, and eliminate the oxidation problem.
While, screw caps do diminish the drama and romance of bottle opening, it does ensure a taint-free wine. It also offers consistent aging, maintained flavor, and freshness with optimum quality control.
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Storing Wine Cheaply
If you enjoy wine chances are you have a few bottles at home waiting to be opened. The more bottles you have the longer some of them will sit unopened. There are ways to preserve your wine to ensure that they last longer but that can come along with a hefty price tag. You may be able to find wine storage places in your town but that can become pricey and inconvenient if you want a bottle of wine and didn’t plan it in advance. Wine storage locations are more for a wine collector with expensive bottles of wine that will only be drunk on certain occasions. The best solution for the wine lover who wants to preserve their wine on a budget would be purchasing a wine cooler or wine fridge.
Wine coolers come in all different sizes and prices. The best thing to do is determine how many bottles you will need to store because that will determine the size of the wine fridge you will need to buy. Once you determine the size you need to determine what your price range is and try to find one within that price range. If you are having a tough time finding a fridge in your price range you will need to look at discounted wine fridges or even refurbished products. You can also wait until the items go on sale or even clearance. You should also browse online sites for good deals. eBay will almost always have decently price wine fridges, as well as Amazon.
Once you find the perfect fridge within your price range there is no other cost involved, other the electricity it takes to power your wine cooler. Once you may the initial purchase you will be able to store your wine for as long as the wine fridge last, which hopefully is for many years to come.
A good temperature to store your wine would be around 60 degree Fahrenheit. Some may argue that 55 degrees is a better temperature, but I have found I am able to get better tasting red wine from a storage temperature of 60 degrees. With red wine 55 seems too cold, but it may be a good temperature for white wine.
All in all the cheapest way to store your wine safely is in a wine fridge or wine cooler. It is a one time purchase and if you keep your eye out for a good deal you can pick up one for a very reasonable price.
Wine Cabinets For Storing Your Bottled Wine
Bottled wine is really sensitive to environmental factors and can spoil rapidly if not properly kept. White wines are especially sensitive to changing environmental conditions so you need to take proper care whenever stocking this kind of wine. For those who actually want to maintain the flavor and flawlessness of your own wines and permit them to mature carefully while acquiring sophistication, make sure you stow your wine bottles in a competently made wine cellar.
If you don’t possess a room or space obtainable for constructing a wine cellar, well then a chilled wine cupboard could protect your wines in a suitable atmosphere. Wine cupboards are fashioned particularly to help keep the appropriate heat range and dampness for holding wine.
There are plenty of forms and types of wine cupboards available today. Dependent upon your finances as well as your use, you can obtain a superior wine cabinet just for several hundred bucks. Naturally, this kind of wine cupboard will probably be small and will have capacity for not very many wine bottles.
The bigger the wine cupboard, the greater you will be charged. Having said that, in case you have a considerable selection of wine and you simply wouldn’t want your favorite wine to decline as a result of substandard safe-keeping, purchasing a sizeable volume cupboard that can easily contain every one of your bottles of wine can be viewed as a good buy. A large wine cabinet that enables anyone to incorporate, take away or alter a few shelves will provide you with extra freedom. When you need additional room, you’ll be able to simply include extra shelves and when your assortment of wine is reduced, it is possible to just take away the additional racks.
When choosing wine cabinets, it is advisable to pay close attention to the unique highlights of the wine cabinet. The look and tone ought to match with the rest of your furnishings and fittings. Coordinating the styles of your furniture, fixtures and home appliances can give your household an even more arranged and unified ambiance.
Nonetheless, it is very important look beyond the look and tone of the cupboard. Keep in mind that elegance ought to go with efficiency. You don’t actually want to purchase a wine cabinet exclusively for ornamental applications so be sure that you select your cabinet well and that also it is big enough for your personal wine collection.
Warmth will probably influence the quality of your bottled wines. Ensure that your cabinet has a temperature stabilizer. Remember that swift alterations in temperature will swiftly ruin your wine. To permit your wine to age gradually it ought to be kept between 10 and 15 degrees C (50 – 59 degrees F).
Moisture is every bit as essential as heat in saving wine effectively. Your wine cellar or wine cabinet ought to preserve a dampness of close to 70% to stop the wine bottle corks from shrinking and thus allow wine to escape from the bottles and allow air into the bottles.
Storing your Wine
Wine consumption has become more and more popular over the years. As they say older the wine the better it tastes, storing and preserving wine properly is very essential.
Storing a wine in a right way can lead to euphoria while in a wrong way can lead to depression. Drinking wine from a bottle while has been poorly stored can be a letdown. Poorly stored wine can taste like vinegar.
Factors to consider while storing a wine bottle are humidity, temperature, lighting, the cleanliness of your storage area and the angle at which the bottle is kept on the rack. The temperature is one of the most important factors and you should maintain around 50 degrees at all times. Avoid sudden temperature changes and if any change in temperature occurs make sure it happens slowly. The wine should be ok as long as the temperature does not rise too much and if the temperature fluctuates slowly.
To maintain proper humidity is also very important. Try to maintain 70% of humidity and its ok if it goes above or below this level by 10%. In high humidity the label can easily rot and affect the value of the wine. On the other hand if the humidity is too low it could shrink the cork and bring air into the wine which can completely ruin the wine.
Light causes wine to age prematurely so make sure you store your wine bottle out of light. It’s best to store wine in a dark location. Also if the wine stays in contact with the cork it doesn’t dry out. If wine doesn’t stay in contact with the cork then the cork could dry out and let air into the wine bottle. Keeping wine bottle at the right angle so that the wine is always in contact with the cork is important.
To maintain the quality of your wine it is very important to consider all the above mentioned factors while storing it. Take proper care while storing your wine and you are sure to enjoy it for several years. It is not a difficult task but just needs a little more care and attention.
Storing Red Wine in Wine Bottle Refrigerators
When you think of wine bottle refrigerators, chances are, you think of storing white wine there. In North America, most people are accustomed to serving red wine at room temperature and white wine chilled. This is actually not necessarily the best way to go.
You see, red wine is meant to be served at room temperature . . . but not the room temperature that we are accustomed to. Consider that for centuries, wine was stored in wine cellars, which were almost always underground. If they were not built below the earth, then they were in heavily walled rooms without windows, providing a cooler “room temperature”.
These days, our homes are fairly warm and not really suitable for wine storage. Since the vast majority of people don’t own a wine cellar, we need to improvise. Wine bottle refrigerators offer a carefully controlled climate that you decide. It will help the wine mature correctly and provide better flavor, since the temperature is just right and these refrigerators are built to eliminate the harmful vibrations that most kitchen fridges have.
Not everyone will need a wine refrigerator, of course. If you are someone who rarely drinks wine, then it probably isn’t necessary. However, if you drink or serve wine on a regular basis, at least twice a month, you should definitely consider investing in one.
Your red wine will have a fuller body to it, better flavor and more complex components when stored at the correct temperature. Every wine expert knows that your red wine should not be kept at the average room temp, but at around 55-60°F / 12.7-15.5°C. This mimics the coolness of a wine cellar where your wine would be allowed to mature at a gentle rate.
Most people don’t realize just how bad it is for their wine to be kept in the kitchen fridge or pantry. If you plan to use it for cooking, go ahead and do that, but if you want to really get the most out of your evening cup, then you need to take a little better care. Whether your wine is the finest Italy has to offer, a Chilean brand or something you whipped up yourself, it is vital that it be stored correctly.
There’s no reason to ruin a great bottle of red wine. If you don’t have an adequate place to store your wine, it is time to consider investing in a wine bottle refrigerator that will allow you to maintain those bottles at the proper temperature in a cool, dark environment.