Tag Archive | "wine storage"

Racking Homemade Wine

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Important Tips to Follow When Storing Wine

If you’re going to be keeping your wine for any extended period of time, it’s important to store it properly to allow it to age to its full potential and further develop its intended flavour. Following a few simple guidelines will prevent you from storing your wine incorrectly and causing it to spoil or turn to vinegar. When stored the right way your wine will only get better with age.

Environmental Factors

Keeping your wine in a cool, dark, and humid space will ensure its composition won’t be jeopardized. The temperature fluctuations should be kept to a minimum and should remain around 10-12 degrees Celsius. Changes in temperature may affect the pressure in your wine bottle which could loosen the cork. A loose cork will allow oxygen to enter the bottle and cause premature aging.

Storing your wine in a humid area will keep the cork moist and prevent it from shrinking, which would allow air into the bottle. 50-80% humidity is acceptable and 70% should be your target. Too much humidity may damage the label and could cause mold to form on the bottle so monitor your humidity levels carefully as well as the temperature.

UV light can react with the proteins in your wine so avoid storing it in direct sunlight. Some bottles are designed to block these rays anyways, but taking the extra step to store it in a dark space will give you optimum aging conditions.

Bottle Position

Wine should always be stored in a horizontal position to ensure the cork is always kept moist. For the same reason as keeping your wine in a humid location, a moist cork won’t shrink and you will prevent your wine from oxidizing.

Location

If you have a cellar, this is generally an ideal spot for storing wine. Keep your wine in an area with minimum vibrations and move it as little as possible. The spot you choose should be away from any strong odours as these can be absorbed by the cork and may seep into the wine, affecting any complex or subtle flavours.

Knowing in advance how long you plan on storing your wine can give you a better idea of where to store it and how adamant you will need to be in regards to the steps you take. If you plan on storing your wine for years, thorough maintenance and environmental upkeep on your storage space are very important to keep your wine tasting its best.

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Storing and Displaying Your Wine with Racks and Cabinets

Storing and Displaying Your Wine with Racks and Cabinets

Wine Storage

For anyone with even the humblest of wine collections, the proper wine furniture can add to the display of your collection and can assist you in storing your wine in the correct manner. Wine racks, cabinets, and shelves come in all shapes in sizes, so whatever your needs, finding the right furniture shouldn’t be too difficult.

Reasons for Using a Rack or Cabinet

The vast array of wine storing furniture available will help you in whatever needs you’d like to fulfill in regards to your wine collection. Some cabinets come with serving tables, drawers to store accessories, wheels to transport from room to room, and refrigeration to keep your wine chilled. You may choose a style which has room to allow for storage of wine glasses so all of your wine serving equipment can be accessed from one spot.

Simpler racks and shelves are available if you’re just looking for a place to safely store your wine while it ages or keep on display in an easy to access setup. The price range of these cabinets or racks can vary greatly depending on the extras you want your piece of furniture to come with.

Wine Furniture for Aesthetics

Some wine racks can come in very unique shapes and sizes. They can be made from luscious looking wood such as walnut, oak, cherry, and mahogany or may be designed with glass, steel or marble. Choosing a wine rack or cabinet that suits the decor of your home can be a beautiful addition while serving a useful purpose in storing your wine.

Making Your Own

Many wine rack kits are available if you choose to make your own and can often be quite simple to put together. It’s always a good idea to check the storage and weight capacity before purchasing to ensure it will suit your needs.

The proper wine rack or a decent wine cabinet can help you to store your wine in the right position while giving it an appealing display. Hanging and wall mounted racks can be great if you’re short on space while others may be designed more intricately to add a more elegant appearance to any room. Decide what your storage needs are before you begin shopping and you should be able to find the perfect rack to suit all your needs in no time.

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The First Steps in Starting a Wine Collection

When first starting a wine collection you may not be sure where to begin. With so many different types of wines and vintages you could have some difficult choices when choosing which wines will be the first you start your collection with.

Proper Storage

Before buying your first supply of wine to begin your collection, you’ll need to decide how you’re going to store it. A cool, dark, and humid space will be required to allow your wine to continue to age and to prevent spoiling. Knowing in advance how long you’ll be storing your wine and how much you’ll usually have on hand at one time can give you a better idea of what kind and how large of a storage space you’ll need.

Investing in some racks, cabinets, and perhaps even a custom wine cellar or storage room will give you the space and storage furniture required to house a decent sized collection. Starting small and adding slowly to your collection will give you time to slowly buy more furniture and expand your storage space as needed.

Expand Your Wine Knowledge

Subscribing to a popular wine magazine or two can keep you up to date on the latest wine reviews. Attending trade shows, going to wine tastings, and joining a wine club will help you get to know local manufacturers and other wine enthusiasts. Knowing as much as you can about wine can give you the proper knowledge to develop an impressive collection.

Know Your Reason for Collecting

Collecting wine to have a well formed personal wine stash that can be used for entertaining or for your own enjoyment can be a relaxed and rewarding experience. You’ll likely be adding wines to your collection according to the tastes you enjoy most as well as keeping a few dessert or sparkling wines on hand for when certain situations may call for them.

Another reason for collecting may be for rarity or prestige. Looking for high quality wines, expensive brands, and rare vintages may become the main purpose of your collection. If so, thoroughly educating yourself in the varieties of different wines available will become even more necessary.

Whatever your reason for collecting wine, the process shouldn’t be stressful or become a hassle and should be done in a manner that’s within your budget. There’s no need to rush your collection so just start with what you can afford and take the time to enjoy the process.

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