Sunday, August 5, 2012

The Importance of Temperature in Wine Storage

Every wine lover and connoisseur or even wine novices should know that owning a wine cellar or its alternative, a wine cooler, is a worthwhile investment.

For centuries, aging wine is an art form that wine lovers and connoisseurs have enjoyed. And wine cellars are the ideal place for storing and protecting your wines, though you can also use the alternative much smaller wine refrigerators.

Wines are perishable, so when exposed to heat, light, vibration or fluctuations in temperature and humidity, all types of wine can quickly deteriorate and spoil. However, when they are properly stored, their quality can be preserved and in some cases their aroma, flavor, and complexity can also be improved as they age.

No better feeling can compare to turning a young, vibrant wine into a mature classic for you to enjoy. Keeping your wine healthy will ultimately determine the quality of your wines and your future satisfaction and enjoyment. So, the right conditions are necessary for storing your wine properly, and it's especially important when keeping fine wine.

Just as enjoying wine is a multi-sensory experience, storing wine also entails multiple aspects, enabling your wine to evolve to its full potential. 


Of all the storage factors that will adversely affect your wine, fluctuating temperature is the most damaging. Therefore, your number one priority should be avoiding this condition.

Wines exposed to too high a temperature (in excess of 77 °F (25 °C)) may become spoilt or "cooked" and develop off flavors that taste raisiny or stewed.

On the other hand, wines exposed to temperatures that are too cold can freeze and expand, causing the cork to be pushed out; thus, enabling the wine to be exposed to more oxygen. Any air that enters the bottle will react chemically with the wine and, in turn, prematurely ages wine.

Wines that ages prematurely or that are exposed to excessive heat, will frequently produce a brownish tinge and unintended, unpleasant off-flavors and will seldom reach its potential quality.

Generally, a wine has a greater potential to develop complexity and a more aromatic bouquet if it is allowed to age or mature slowly in a relatively cool environment over an appropriate period of time. This brings about flavors and nuances that can only evolve with proper maturation.

Scientists say this happens when wine is stored at its ideal temperature of between 55ºF (13ºC) and 58ºF (15ºC), with slightly lower temperatures for sparkling and white wines. This temperature is known to be the best to encourage a slow mellowing of the wine as at these ideal temperatures, the aging is complex and requires no additional attention as it will go about doing its own thing in a proper and desired manner.

Along with the ideal temperature, wines should be store in an appropriate amount of humidity as this critical to preventing the corks from drying out.

Dry corks causes wine to leak through and around the cork, and enabling air to enter the bottle. However, too much humidity will bring on the development of mold and will damage the labels, negatively affecting the market value of fine wine.

So, maintaining humidity levels in the range between 60% and 75% should keep the corks from drying out while preventing the formation of unwanted mold.

Maintaining this type of relative dampness will also aid in keeping the corks in shape. Storing the bottles horizontally will also help in keeping the corks well hydrated and expanded in perfect shape.

Wines should also be stored in dark places as direct sunlight or ultraviolet light will deteriorate the quality of the wine.


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