Wine/Storage
Proper wine storage is a very important thing. When one typically purchases large quantities of assorted wines, it is natural that among all other reasons, future consumption is the key. Proper wine storage can lead to a great many years of future enjoyment. Wine storage also provides time for immature vintages to develop into something special. Correct wine storage provides the wine lover the ability to collect and store large qualities of there favorite wines to be enjoyed for years to come.
When considering a large investment in wine, the wine lover must consider the method in which he stores his wine. Improper storage can damage wine and thus diminish the possibility of enjoyment.
Chiefly, the purchaser will consider where he will store his or her wine. Here, he has options. Either he might store it at home or hire an outside service to store the wine for him. The wine lover must protect the wine from the elements.
While 90% of all wine is meant to be consumed within one year, a true connoisseur and collector may wish to consider an additional investment in a wine cellar. Significant thought and planning should go into this process. These are the things that should be considered in this process.
- Location of the wine cellar
- Temperature of the wine cellar
- Humidity and ventilation of the area
- Composition of the floor
- Lighting of the space
The location of the wine cellar is very important. When underground, it is best that it’s a room that is facing to the north. This is necessary as this wall receives the minimum amount of solar radiation during the day thus causing less retention of heat. The northern part of the perimeter of this room must not be adjacent to a road nor railway and made of stone or brick. The wine cellar must not be subject to unnecessary movement or vibrations. Vibrations can disturb and damage wine.
The wine ideally, must be stored at temperatures between 10°-14° Celsius. The wine must be kept cool. This is done by keeping the wine underground and minimizing exposure to solar radiation.
Humidity must be controlled in order to keep the cork moist and functioning. A functioning cork maintains the integrity of the wine. The humidity should be between 70-75%. This level of humidity would cause mold to form in a normal house.
A floor of earth or sand is important, as this also helps to reduce the level of vibrations in the room.
Lastly, the lighting must originate from unscented candles. Neon or fluorescent lighting cannot be considered as they kill wine. The candles used must be unscented as a scented candle will foul the wine. Once these 5 considerations are undertaken, a new problem emerges. That is, what to stock the wine cellar with. While this question is beyond the scope of this paper, it is sincerely wished that everyone stock their cellars with all sorts of wine that they enjoy. This is certainly the intention of the entire effort.