Keeping Your Wine Safe When Temperatures Are Dangerous
Written By: Romany Reagan on Fri, Jul 11th 2008
When my friends who had been storing their wine in their cool coastal garage opened one treasured bottle one evening to find it gone off, they panicked. It had been a particularly hot day in San Diego, and even their darkened, cool, oceanfront garage started cookin.' Worried about all of their wines, they examined them one by one and found almost a case was ruined, the most notable being a magnum they had been saving for their first anniversary.
I decided to investigate how people can avoid this. It is so heartbreaking when wine we've been waiting for like Christmas shows up undrinkable. It's not just cellared wines we have to worry about either -- wine can go bad even after only one hour in bad heat. When the days are roastie and nothing but a crispy cold glass of pinot grigio will do, make sure you stow it in the fridge immediately upon coming home. On an 80-degree day, in the time it takes to put the groceries away and start dinner, it could have collapsed on you. So what can the layman do to avoid such disappointment?
Experts vary on what is considered the optimum temperature to cellar wine, but the range is between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. On the colder end of the scale, wines age more slowly, and conversely, wines stored at temperatures on the warmer end age more rapidly. The middle ground at 55 degrees is the best for predictable aging. The problem isn't just the possible cooking from high temperatures themselves, but even moderate climates with optimum median temperatures can experience periodic heat spikes. These are dangerous because the wine expands rapidly, pushing the cork out which allows in oxygen -- now you've got a double whammy: cooked, oxygenated wine. Buying a Maximum Minimum thermometer is an inexpensive way to monitor these spikes.
Buying a wine refrigerator may not be necessary. Chances are your basement (away from any water heaters or boilers) is a great place to keep it. Don't have a basement? A dark closet could work just as well as long as you're not the type to crank the thermostat. Chose the lowest point in your house or apartment and stow your rack on the floor, not on a high shelf. Use your Maximum and Minimum thermometer to monitor the temperature fluctuations in your chosen location. Make sure if you chose an out-of-the-way place in your home, it isn't also where you store other things like old paints or pungent cleaning supplies. Corks are porous and can absorb these unpleasant additions.
Moisture is a problem as it can mold and rot corks, allowing spoiling oxygen in. Conditions that are too dry are bad for corks too, the cork can shrivel and shrink until it no longer forms a seal -- allowing in that oxygen death knell. That is the reason wines are traditionally stored on their sides, the cork is kept moist and chubby by the wine and keeps the seal intact. In lieu of buying a humidifier, a simple way to keep the air from getting too dry is to put a bowl of water by the wine.
Since wine is essentially a living, organic thing, reactions are constantly occurring from when it's bottled until it's consumed. If wine is left in the sun, photochemical reactions can alter the wine unfavorably. Even some light bulbs can cause changes -- the best bet is to always stow your wine in a dark place.
Most wines should be enjoyed at the time of purchase, and most cellarable wines shouldn't be stored for more than a year. There are a few exceptions for some Bordeaux and Burgundies and California Cabernet Sauvignon, but if you haven't researched which will open up over time and which will simply flatten out, ask when you purchase. If you're purchasing directly from the vineyard, they will know the best way to enjoy their product and if you bought from a boutique wine shop, speak to the manager who most likely has researched and explored most of the wine he or she carries.
There are professional facilities that can store your wine for you at optimal conditions, but for most of us, we would rather have our wine close at hand for that sudden urge or impromptu guest.
One can get so wrapped up in thermometers, humidifiers, wine fridges and label conditions that wine can become more science than art. Yes, there is a lot of science in wine, but I've always preferred an oil painting of the Tuscan countryside to the chemical composition of a cabernet's enology. Do what's best for your wine, but also what works for you and your lifestyle. The first goal of wine is enjoyment.
