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The love of wine and the quest for even a small personal collection is fast becoming a popular hobby for many adults. Since most wine improves in flavor, color and value over time, it is wise to have a safe place to store and age your wine to protect your investment. With that in mind, it is important for the beginning collector to understand the basics of wine aging and storage. For tips on starting a no frills wine stash, click here: http://www.cellarfurniture.com/wine_tips.asp
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When most of us think of wine storage we think of a wine cellar or wine vault deep under ground. While this can be ideal to store wine, it is not practical, or necessary for most of us. Finding a good place to store your wine can be as easy as buying a suitable storage cabinet and placing it in your Dining Room, provided that the conditions are reasonable. It all depends upon how much you want to store and collect, and how long the wines need to age for optimum drinking. For example, if you are a Bordeaux lover you know that they should be aged for 10 years or more to age properly, while a medium bodied Zinfandel or Cabernet may only need a year or two to settle into its optimum drinking age. What this means is that you may be able to store your wine in a more convenient place, and more economical place, than a custom made temperature controlled wine cellar.
Let's first consider the conventional wisdom for storing wine.
For wine to age properly it should be in a cool dry place with relatively low light and medium humidity. Experts believe that optimum wine storage temperatures are between 55° F and 70° F, and that the temperature consistency is equally important. A slow gradual change in temperatures between seasons is acceptable, but sudden changes are a concern for most wines. Wine expands and constricts depending on its temperature. As wine gets warmer, it expands and pressure pushes on the cork. When it cools, it constricts and the cork is pulled into the bottle. In some cases those changes may cause the cork to loosen up and oxygen will enter the bottle, ruining the wine.
Humidity between 50% to 80% is best for all types of wine. Too much humidity will cause the cork to mold and enter the wine, and too little humidity will dry the cork and allow oxygen into the bottle. Again, most homes have moderate humidity which will be just fine for good wine storage. Temperature and humidity can certainly be controlled with climate control units in a closed room, but good wine storage can be achieved in most rooms in today's modern homes. For example, if you keep your home at 68 to 70 degrees even in the Summer you could store most wine varietals for several years without the need for elaborate temperature controlled cabinets or cellars. However, if you want to store more complex age worthy wines, such as Bordeaux and Super Tuscan, you may want to consider moving that part of your collection to the basement or lower level, but temperature control still may not be a necessity. Lower levels and basements will always remain several degrees cooler and temperatures are more consistent. If you are more serious with the size and complexity of your collection, then you may want to consider a closed environment with climate control. The longer a given wine needs to be aged the more important ideal conditions become, allowing the wine to age without any interruption or acceleration. The ideal condition is 55 degrees, 70% humidity, zero light, and zero movement. This allows the wine to age at its best rate to mature with the most complexity and subtleties.
A bottle of wine that is stored properly will increase in complexity and varietal character as well as in value over time. Having a convenient wine storage solution will allow you easy access to your wine on a moments notice, a very important factor in enjoying your collection.
Try and become as knowledgeable as you can about what type of storage you need before making any decisions on cabinetry or climate control. Elaborate systems are only worth the investment if you need lengthy and more consistent aging conditions. I've seen too many people invest in elaborate rack systems and cellars when they weren't needed. Who knows, maybe that large wine cellar budget could be better spent on more wine instead.
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Wine changes over time, progressing from simple fruit dominate flavor to more complexity. Wine that has been produced from quality grapes, harvested at the ideal level of ripeness and sugar content and processed appropriately for that varietal, and then stored under the right conditions for an extended period of time, develops flavors that are more complex and engaging. Aromas are intensified, color deepens and flavor nuances are more noticeable, giving us that wonderful experience we all enjoy.
Many wines being produced today are meant to be drank within a year of purchase, but more complex wines need anywhere from three years to several decades to reach their peak maturity. Unfortunately by the time these wines are ready you won't be able to find, or afford them. This is why you need to consider a suitable wine storage solution that meets your needs.
Most white wines are intended for drinking within two to three years from their date of vintage. Many of the red wines being produced today are designed to reach their peak drink ability at a young age. These contemporary red wines with their velvety, riper and softer-tasting, less harsh tannins and softer acidity mean they will reach their plateau of maturity sooner. These medium bodied red wines seldom improve dramatically over long periods and may in fact begin to decline before a more complex fine wine has reached its optimum drinking age. They can improve in the short term, but their balance of tannins and acids wasn't designed to develop over 10 to 15 years like the top vintages of the '70s, '60s and earlier. Today many vintners produce wine for almost immediate consumption, as research shows that as much as 95 percent of table wine is consumed within three years of the vintage date. Economic pressure comes into play and often red wines are released from the winery earlier than the vintner would have wished.
Very generally speaking, Old World wines last longer than New World wines and Cabernet Savignon-based wines last longer than Pinot Noirs, and so on. Most whites evolve faster and don't last as long as reds. Keep in mind that these are general rules of thumb. The slower maturing and longer lasting wines may reach their plateau in about 10 years and last for another 10. With proper storage, most California Cabernet Sauvignon will improve for ten to fifteen years after the vintage date. Some more complex Pinot Noir and Zinfandel wines can improve for up to five to ten years after the vintage date. Knowing the types of wine you like to drink will help you decide what your storage needs are.
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