Red Or White? Whichever your preference, are you enjoying a perfect glass? At Milcarskys Appliance Centre’, not only are we a builder-distributor of over 60 brands of appliances offering the most competitive pricing in the area, but we are a great resource for wine preservation and storage. We know wine. Homeowners today are building with wine storage systems in mind, rather than just installing an under counter wine chiller. Storage is an important consideration for wine that is being kept for long-term aging. While most wine is consumed within 24 hours of purchase, fine wines are often set aside for long-term storage. Wine is one of the few commodities that can improve with age but it can also rapidly deteriorate if kept in inadequate conditions. The three factors that have the most direct impact on a wines condition are light, humidity and temperature. Conditions affecting wine there are 3 factors that have the most pronounced effect on wine in storage: light, humidity and temperature. Light : Strong, direct sunlight or incandescent light can adversely react with phenolic compounds in wine and create potential wine faults. Delicate, light-bodied white wines run the greatest risk from light exposure and are often packaged in darkly tinted wine bottles that offer some protection from the light. Wines packaged in clear, light green and blue colored bottles are the most vulnerable to light and may need extra precautions for storage. For example, the Champagne house of Louis Roederer uses cellophane wrap to protect its premium cuvee Cristal from light, the wine being packaged in a clear bottle. In the cellar, wines are stored in corrugated boxes or wooden crates to protect the wines from direct light. Humidity : Some degree of humidity is required in order to keep wines with cork enclosures from drying out. Even when wine bottles are stored on their sides, one side of the cork is still exposed to air. If the cork begins to dry out, it can allow oxygen to enter the bottle, filling the ullage space and possibly causing the wine to spoil or oxidize. Excessive humidity can also pose the risk of damaging wine labels, which may hinder identification or hurt potential resale value. Temperature : Wine is very susceptible to changes in temperature, with temperature control being an important consideration in wine storage. If the wine is exposed to too high a temperature (in excess of 77 °F) for long periods of time, it may become spoilt or cooked and develop off flavors that taste “raisiny” or stewed. The exact length of time that a wine is at risk of exposure to high temperatures will vary depending on the wine, with some wines (such as Madeira which is exposed to high temperatures during its winemaking) being able to sustain exposure to high temperatures more easily than other, more delicate wines (such as Riesling). If the wine is exposed to temperatures that are too cold, the wine can freeze and expand, causing the cork to be pushed out; this will allow more oxygen to be exposed to the wine. Dramatic temperature swings (such as repeated transferring a wine from a warm room to a cool refrigerator) can also cause adverse chemical reactions in the wine that may lead to a variety of wine faults. Also Vibration Can Be An Additional Factor : Although anecdotal information regarding the contributions of vibration in wine storage states that it contributes to the accelerated aging of wine with adverse effects, this remains a research area with relatively little data. In a particular study, vibrations of different frequencies have been shown to have their own distinct effect on the chemistry of the wine. The study concludes, Vibration could be used to accelerate the aging of wine, but in most cases, this may lead to negative effects in wine quality. Therefore, to store red wines with limited changes in physico-chemical properties, vibrations should be minimized. As you can see, many important variables are taken into consideration to properly preserve wine. For more information, please visit our showroom to see many models we carry or call for a free packet of information featuring many of our top brands. See our upcoming article featured in Builder+Architect Magazine/Central Florida
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 15:55:07 +0000
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