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Do you find yourself perplexed about how to store your wine, how long it will last and what temperature to serve it at? You are not alone! Many people often ask me these questions- the biggest being- I opened a bottle and didn’t finish it (yes, there are people who do that) how long before it’s no good any more?
Here are some great tips for storing wine, how to serve it and when to throw it away (I am hoping you have better sense then to waste a half bottle).
Storage and Cellaring of Your Wine
Depending on how long you plan to keep your wine, it is important to know how to store for best results. And let’s face it, not everyone has a temperature-controlled cellar that has humidity control. I would caution people who want to start a wine collection, that without these measures, it may be difficult to store wine for more than 4 -5 years. But here are some general rules for storage.
Every Day Drinkers
Wine you plan to drink within 1-6 months of purchasing, is safe to sit out of direct sunlight in a normal temperature home- just avoid hot spots in your home (like near a furnace vent).
Wines You Keep
You might get a wine as a gift that has sentimental value, or is a good bottle you want to save for up to 24-48 months. These should be laid on their side if they have a cork to keep it moist and avoid it from drying out and allowing oxygen into the bottle and spoiling the wine. Keep it is a cool, dark, place- a basement is a good option- a cold room is a great option. Wine should be stored between 7-18 Degrees Celsius. So do not store your wine in a conventional fridge.
Wines You Cellar
Any wine you want to last for more than 4-5 years, I would say its time to start thinking about a temperature-controlled cellar. Humidity, light, air, and temperature can all effect how a wine ages. Whatever you do, keep it on its side for its cellar stay (for reasons noted above). There are small compact options for cellars online that do the trick well, no matter what kind of space you might have to dedicate to your wine. A wine fridge would do the trick.
Service Temperature
Now when it comes to service temperatures, here are the rough guidelines:
White Wine: 7-10 Degrees Celsius
Light Bodied Red Wines 13-15 Degrees Celsius
Medium to Full Bodied Red Wines 15-18 Degrees Celsius
With this in mind- literally no wine should be served from a couple hours in a fridge, it will be too cold.
White Wine should be removed from your conventional fridge and set out at room temperature for about 15 minutes before you serve it (assuming your fridge is set at 4 Degrees Celsius).
Red Wine should be left at room temperature and thrown into a fridge for about 10-20 minutes before serving it.
This is why a dual zone wine fridge is a great option- you set the zones and have perfectly chilled wine for your guests or yourself any time- it takes the guess work out of the equation completely.
Remember, if you have different preferences to what temperature you drink your wine- do what you like, but I urge you not to be that person who asks for ice cubes in their white wine!
Open Bottle Storage
I really don’t tend to have this problem, but can certainly respect the restraint you have if you do end up having some wine left in a bottle.
White Wine- cork it and place it in your conventional fridge and it should last 3-5 days before it’s going to taste like something other than wine.
Red Wine- cork the bottle and store it in a dark, cool place and it should last up to 5 days. Some say longer, and if it is a really good quality wine, then I would agree a few more days would be okay.
Want to learn more about wine? Why not host your own wine event and sip and savour the differences with the company of your choice! Email me, Danielle@newagenonnawineandfood.com or Follow me on Instagram @NewAgeNonna .