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Valentine's Day
Recipes A Guide to Storing Wine
Wine is a natural food product which is perishable
in nature. All types of wines including red, white, sparkling and
fortified can get spoiled if they are exposed to light, vibration,
heat or changes in temperature and humidity. You can maintain the
quality and improve the flavor, complexity, and aroma when you store
the wines properly.
Aging makes a wine delicious and highly qualified.
Aged wine offers typical aromas and flavors. The process works only
if the wine is kept in perfect condition. The aging depends mainly
on how the bottle is maintained.
What is the optimal temperature
required for wine storage?
High temperature and exposure to light is the
principal cause of damage of the wine. The ideal temperature of wine
cellar is between 7-13 degrees Celsius. The key factor is to
maintain constant temperature. If all other factors are optimal, you
can store your wine at much higher temperature if it is a constant
temperature. Frequent temperature fluctuations will damage your
wine. But up to 10 degree changes in between seasons will not harm.
Will light and humidity affect the
wine?
Natural and artificial light will do a lot of damage
to the wine. If your wine storage area is not a dark place like a
closet, basement or under a staircase then try to cover your wines
with a blanket or block that area with a curtain. Humidity is also
another factor which can cause damage to the wine. The minimum
humidity required for wine storage must be at least 55%. The ideal
range of humidity is between 70-75%. The lack of humidity may result
in the oxidation of wine.
Too much movement or vibration may affect the
quality of wine. If you need to transport your wine or if it's just
been delivered from your merchant then it is important to give the
wine a few days of rest. If your house is close to railway tracks or
airports, then try to keep your wine in an area that is least
affected.
How to prevent the oxygen from
entering in to the wine bottle?
If you are storing a wine bottle for only few years,
you have to consider only two factors those are darkness and
constancy of temperature which is not too high. This can be achieved
by storing the wine in a closet, basement or under a staircase.
Ultraviolet radiation can increase the rate of deterioration to your
wine. Fluctuations in temperature, particularly raise in temperature
can cause the contents of the cylinder to expand, pushing against
the cap. If the cork breaks the seal, oxygen which enters in to the
bottle will quickly spoil the wine. If you are going to store the
wine for more than a month, try to keep the bottles horizontal so
that the cork remains moist.
Why do you need wine cellar?
The best way to keep the wine is to purchase a wine
cellar. A wine cellar can be in the size of a small refrigerator,
with enough space for 24 bottles. A large wine cellar is enough to
occupy more than 2500 bottles.
If you want the wine bottles to be stored for a
long-term, they should be cellared. Cellaring means storing the wine
in the bottle and giving time to improve. This can be done in a
cool, dry basement or any other place where the temperature and
humidity can be controlled. The ideal temperature should be
fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit.
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