One of the great joys of wine is able to choose a bottle of wine from our cellar, perhaps one that you pull the last years of storage, the cork and enjoy with friends. You can change this by maturity and surprised, as a bonus, you can have on the price you pay and enjoy bragging to pick up such a bargain!
However, wine is an ever-changing thing and how it is stored directly affect the speed and good times!
Storage of wine is very simple. . .
It requires a constant temperature, humidity, darkness, silence and a well-ventilated and clean environment. INSULATION
The first is essential to a storage environment that provides the foundation for the creation of stable temperature, no light and no vibration.
Generally 4 “(100mm) of polystyrene is the equivalent of 3 feet (1 meter) from Earth. So when you’re trying to decide between a building aboveground and underground cavern, you must dig deep to be prepared for latter.
Your office, interior or exterior of your design must be well shaded, well insulated and with a minimum of air movement in and out. TEMPERATURE
The aim is stored wines with a constant temperature of 50 ° F and offer between 59 ° F (10 ° C to 15 ° C.
Seasonal changes in temperature will not harm your wine, although fluctuations should be avoided by more than one degree per week.
Wines subjected to temperatures above 77 ° F (25 ° C) in grave danger of rapid deterioration.
Wines stored in less than ideal conditions will be provided at speeds quite different from those tenants when they offer suggested storage times age. A hygro thermometer will give you enough detailed information to both temperature and humidity in your basement.
A wine cellar above ground or a well dug underground cellars built to the minimum required for additional temperature control although your climate or the position of your cellar, using a cooling device, which require a temperature resistance are complete.
Another alternative is a wine cabinet with controlled temperature. Some of them may be up to 800 bottles but be aware that some manufacturers’ suggested bottle capacity “may be misleading, and the media may be smaller than you need. Champagne bottles are larger than Riesling bottles!
Regard assembled wine as your best cooling block. A high density of wine bottles to reduce temperature fluctuations.
Consider keeping your long-term wines in a professional storage facility if your cellar can not correspond to the optimum temperature ranges. HUMIDITY
A dry atmosphere is an enemy of the natural cork seal. A natural cork is compressed and forced into the bottle as a 100% natural seal.
The low humidity with a defective cork results in the wine moving out of the bottle (over the loss of fluid) and air naturally moving closer into the bottle.
Moderate humidity is important to keep the corks in good conditions and flexible to prevent it from shrinking. Screw closed bottles do not require humidity.
Excessive humidity will not harm the wine but can cause rot labels. The ideal humidity for your cellar is 70%, but somewhere between 5080% is permitted. DARKNESS
Light prematurely age a bottle of wine. Transparent bottles are particularly vulnerable to this problem, but ultraviolet light will penetrate even dark colored glass.
UV light wine by damage to the degradation of otherwise stable organic compounds, especially the tannins found in wine. These organic compounds contribute to the aroma, flavor and texture of the wine. Without them, the wine seems flat and thin.
Sun exposure to ultraviolet light results in unfavorable and irreversible changes in your wine.
Sparkling wines need special care because they are more sensitive than other light wines. Lay It Down!
Keep your wine bottles horizontally so the wine is in contact with the cork. This keeps the moisture of the cork. If the cork dries out, shrinks and it will look to your wine. Keep up the label. This will help in three ways:
One can easily see what is wine. You do not need to disturb the bottle to see what you have in your basement.
The sediments are on the other side of the label and make it easier to see.
The label is less likely to suffer damage. If you’re storing wine as an investment, a damaged label will reduce the value.
Follow the above tips and you’ll create on your way to a basement where your wine to perfection and a cellar, which is the envy of your friends life!