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love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts:12349
 | | 12/25/2002 5:20 PM |
| Sometimes people that are "New" to Wine ask this question. How '‘really” important is Storage of Wine in the appropriate temperature? I had the same question when I was new to Wine. Thought that it was 1 of those myths...
Well, here is the answer, the proof. I went over to a friend's apartment last night. I bought for him about a year & a half ago a 1997 Silverado Cab. And, about a year ago, I bought another bottle, a 1997 Estancia Meritage.
He lives in 1 of those apartments where the Heat cannot be controlled. So, the temperature is less than desirable (as far as Wine is concerned).
All this time he kept these bottles in his apartment. So, we open up the Silverado. It is Cooked. A goner. No fruit, no finish, all up-front VERY Bitter taste. Dumped it down the drain.
Then, we open up the Estancia. Because that bottle spent less time in the apartment, there was still some Fruit in the bottle. But, you could tell that there was something wrong with the bottle (the taste of the Wine). So, we let it “open up” a little to see what happens. I actually thought that the air would help the Wine release the Fruit a little. WRONG. On the contrary happened. About 30 minutes later, it worsened. Became VERY Bitter (all up-front) & very hard to even swallow. Dumped it down the drain.
So, just wanted to pass on this experience from last night of temperature & Wine. That’s all. And, to demonstrate that it is, in fact, NOT 1 of those Wine-myths/old wives tales... | | | |
| ojeffso
warren, new jersey
Wine Lover
Posts:4877
| | 12/25/2002 6:58 PM |
| | my daughter lives in an appartment like that. i give her a few bottles at a time. she either drinks them immediately or sticks them in the frig. | | | |
| Bob Bressler
Napa Valley
Wine Lover
Posts:4809
| | 01/07/2003 1:52 AM |
| There are several factors here with more or less impact:
1. temperature. hot is bad. leave a wine at 80 degrees for a few hours and it will taste flat or "cooked". Freezing is also bad, obviously.
2. change of temperature. if the temperature varies a lot, the wine will expand and contract, pulling oxygen into the bottle. That will definite kill the wine.
3. humidity. low enough humidity will let the cork dry out which will ruin the seal, again making it possible for evil oxygen to get in there.
4. sunlight. much less effect with dark bottles, but still something to avoid.
The storage temperature also effects how the wine will mature. warmer=faster, cooler=slower. If you have cases of '47 Cheval Blanc sitting around, send me a private message and set the temp around 48-50. A mix of old and new is typically set around 55-57. If you plan to drink most of your stuff early, the low 60s is a good bet.
\bob | | | |
| love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts:12349
| | 01/07/2003 2:05 AM |
| Bressler: Question on 2 & 3:
2: I have about 100 bottles that unfortunately face issue #2. How fast/soon will this Kill the Wine? How much Faster is the Wine aging. I have been in this situation with these 100 bottles since September. Thank You.
3: Come next summer (in NJ, it gets Hot), I have to do something. Probably about 100-150 bottles will Not be in a temperature-controlled atmosphere. I am thinking about buying some kind of an Air Conditioner-type to bring the temperature down. Is this good enough (lack of Humidity) to get me through the Summer (2-3 Hot months) & Not affect the Wines?
Thank You. | | | |
| Seek
Upstate NY
Wine Thief
Posts:2772
| | 01/07/2003 2:12 AM |
| | I don't believe that temperature simply ages wines faster, but it also in fact deteriorates wines in an unsuitable fashion. Many wines will not ever be what theycould have been had they been matured at a pace and temperature that is suitable....53-57F. Can you have a 98 point wine that has been sitting on the shelf of a retail store for 7 years in the light at 72F? Yes, and in fact it could still taste great, but not like it could have tasted. This is why you will hear many say that temperature is not that big a deal, they are just drinking wine that though good is not what is could have been. Temperature that is too high but steady (below 78-80) will mess up the maturing process and you will miss out on what could have been. Cooking begins over 80-85F. | | | |
| Bob Bressler
Napa Valley
Wine Lover
Posts:4809
| | 01/07/2003 2:40 AM |
| we may be getting to the limit of a casual discussion here. wine does not behave in a linear fashion with temperature. 55 is kind of a sweet spot and small changes either way are OK. As the changes increase so does the risk. Without disagreeing with Seek1, keeping a cellar at 60 degrees has been shown to let the wine take on the characteristic of faster aging without noticable damage. That would be less true at 65.
If your wine is relatively new, the cork seal should be pretty good. So the absolute temerature would be the bigger problem. Having grown up in NJ, I *KNOW* you will have a problem next summer.
BTW, an interesting tidbit about sparkling wine. Store your Champagne upright. Well, actually, drink it, but if you are storing it, do it upright. Alcohol attacks the elasticity in the cork. If you have ever opened an older Champagne, you'll see that the cork doesn't expand. So, keeping it upright keeps the cork away from the Alcohol. And, because the contents are under pressure, the amount of moisture in the air pocket is higher - high enough for the cork to not dry out.
\bob | | | |
| Pool Boy
Laurl, MD (DC suburb)
Master of Wine
Posts:13660
| | 01/08/2003 1:50 PM |
| The new unit I bought allows for temperature manipulation, (of course!).
Most of the unit (like 95%) is red. The documentation states that the temperature at the bottom of the unit is what drives the thermostat and when to kick in the compressor. But the temperature at the top of the unit will be up to 10 degrees warmer.
What is the best temperature that I should use?
50 (giving a range of 50-60 degrees)?
55 (range of 55-65)?
60 (range of 60-70)?
Something else?
Thanks! | |
www.roguefood.com -- www.cellartracker.com | |
| love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts:12349
| | 01/08/2003 1:52 PM |
| Ia gree with Bressler's statement. Heard this many times over the years from many sources:
"The storage temperature also effects how the wine will mature. warmer=faster, cooler=slower. A mix of old and new is typically set around 55-57. If you plan to drink most of your stuff early, the low 60s is a good bet." | | | |
| ChangeMe
Grape Picker
Posts:17
| | 01/15/2003 1:07 AM |
| tjaehnigen - suggest picking up a small t-stat from Radio shack to check the temperature levels throughout the unit. 10 degrees is a lot, but I suppose possible. Once you get a read, you should be able to set accordingly -- and plan where to put the various bottles.
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| Pool Boy
Laurl, MD (DC suburb)
Master of Wine
Posts:13660
| | 01/15/2003 3:40 AM |
| | thx dewine | |
www.roguefood.com -- www.cellartracker.com | |
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