If wine is not stored properly
it is prone to various problems~
Wine Storage
01、What factors will affect the storage?
① Temperature
High and low temperatures are the natural enemies of wine.
When the temperature is too high, the wine will deteriorate due to high temperature and early aging. When the bottle is opened, you won’t smell much fruit, it will just taste rough and sour.
When the temperature is too low, the wine will continue to freeze. At this point, the volume of the wine will increase. Once the cork is resisted, it can easily burst.
In addition, some of the tartaric acid, tannins and pigments in the wine are expelled at low temperatures and condense into precipitates. This precipitation does not dissolve as the temperature rises, which will affect the wine’s aging potential.
The ideal storage temperature is 10-15°C. The temperature should be as constant as possible and should not vary significantly, otherwise the wine will expand and contract repeatedly, reducing the tightness of the cork and causing the wine to leak.
② Humidity
If a wine sealed with a cork is left in a dry environment for a long time, the cork will shrink due to “lack of water”, causing a lot of air to enter the bottle, oxidizing the aroma of the fruit and even converting the alcohol to acetic acid, creating a vinegar taste.
Humid conditions are also not conducive to wine storage. Due to the high humidity, cork will grow bacteria, and in severe cases, rot and mold, which can damage the quality of wine.
The ideal humidity level for wine storage is about 70%.
③ Light
The ultraviolet rays in light, whether natural or artificial, accelerate the aging of wine, resulting in loose tannins, weak aromas, and sometimes unpleasant odors such as unclean plates. Sparkling and white wines in clear, colorless glass bottles are the most fragile. Therefore, wines should be kept away from light.
④ Odors
The wine is sensitive to odors, and surrounding flavors can be drawn into the bottle through the cork, slowly affecting the wine’s aroma. This is why wines that come into contact with oak barrels have a barrel smell. Therefore, it is important to keep the air in the wine storage environment clean. The surrounding area should be free of odors and kept ventilated.
⑤ Placement
Wines sealed with cork like to lie down. The cork is in “close contact” with the liquid to keep it moist and swollen and to act as a seal.
Sparkling wines sealed with cork can be placed vertically because the air pressure inside the bottle is much higher than the external atmospheric pressure, which prevents large amounts of air from entering and oxidizing the wine.
Cork-sealed wines with screw caps do not dry out and shrink, so they can be placed as they wish during storage.Therefore, the posture depends on the type of wine and the style of cork.
(6) Vibrations
Wine is a quiet but immobile person. Vibrations can impede the wine’s aromas and cause bottle dizziness.
It also disrupts the molecular structure of the wine, accelerating maturation and making the wine rough.Therefore, wine should be stored in a shockproof environment.
02. Where should I store my wine?
The ideal environment is one with constant temperature, humidity, darkness, ventilation, odorless and shock-absorbing. Professional wine cabinets, basements, closets, under beds and storage rooms are all good choices.
