What to add to homemade wine for storage. Storing Wine: Basic Rules

From grapes and other fruits are produced all over the world. Recipes for making wines are different for different nations, they are passed on to descendants, modified with the development of new technologies. Along with the recipe and technological processes, an important point is the storage conditions of wine. Why are some drinks good for drinking within one to three years from the date of manufacture, while others live longer than humans?

What determines the shelf life of wine?

How to store wine? First of all, it should be remembered that any wine is a living product that breathes and constantly changes its taste and organic properties, even when tightly sealed in bottles. That is why these drinks require special conditions storage. The shelf life of wine is influenced by certain factors:

• The quality of the raw materials used for manufacturing.
• The strength of the drink.
• guilt.
• Lighting.
• humidity mode.
• The material from which the wine container is made.

What is a century wine?

In the collection vaults of many eminent wineries There are museum exhibits that are about a hundred years old. These rarities are very expensive in value and very valuable in composition. wine is directly related to the grapes from which it was made. Drinks from some varieties simply have to be aged for a long period, from which they only get better. These are, for example, drinks from Chardonnay, Cabernet and many other French varieties. Due to the high cost of the aged product, often consumers buy a young drink, and already age it themselves, and decide how to store the wine at home. Sherry, Tokay, Madeira can also be stored for a long period. Red wines have a longer aging and shelf life than white wines.

Sparkling wines and vermouths are young natural wines in which the fermentation process is interrupted by the addition of gases or tinctures of various herbs. Their quality does not deteriorate, but they can be stored for no more than one and a half years. The same applies to fruit and berry wines created without the addition of alcohol.

Wine storage temperature

Most important condition Proper maturation and aging is optimal. The fact is that excessive cold slows down the fermentation process, too high temperatures, on the contrary, accelerate maturation, and the wine does not have time to develop its qualities. There are no differences in storage temperatures for white and red wines. The best range is considered to be from 10 to 12 ° C for natural for fortified temperatures of 16-17 ° C are acceptable.

Another important point- the temperature should be constant, without perceptible fluctuations.

Where does wine live?

All wine producers - both large concerns and small farms - equip special wine cellars. The fact is that in addition to temperature, wine needs a special regime of humidity. Dry corks allow air to pass through and the drink evaporates. Excessive humidity, the smell of dampness and mold are also among the enemy of quality wine.

Those who decide to store wine in a common cellar should remember that this is a product that absorbs the smells of everything that is stored nearby, therefore wine shelf should be arranged so that these vapors do not reach it.

Complete peace

How to store wine in bottles correctly. A live drink, which matures and changes its qualities throughout the entire aging period, is very sensitive to all kinds of vibrations, movements and shakes. Stored bottles are moved as little as possible so as not to provoke an undesirable acceleration of chemical processes. They don't even clean the dust and cobwebs!

In wine cellars, bottles are stored horizontally so that the cork is in constant contact with the wine. Wet, it will not allow oxygen to enter the bottle, which leads to oxidation and the transformation of wine into vinegar. However, the cork allows the wine to breathe, which is not the case with plastic corks.

The best container for wine

New technologies, issues of economy and environmentally friendly processing of containers have also affected winemaking. On the shelves of stores, you can increasingly find drinks packaged in bags of various shapes, like juices. Well, this is quite logical from an economic point of view: such packages are cheaper, they are easier to store and transport. As for the terms of maintenance, wine in such packages can be stored at low temperatures for no more than a year. Best packaging there is still a dark glass bottle for storage.

As for the quality of wine in packages, this is a moot point. Some brands in this way pack quite high-quality good wines that are in demand by consumers. This is especially true for those countries where wine is a product of daily consumption.

Gourmets, connoisseurs of good wine, owners of wine collections, of course, choose only bottles, and the aesthetic side plays an important role here.

wine and sun

Grapes - a sunny berry, grows only in the area where it can long time to be caressed by warm rays. A product made from grapes already has completely different needs. Sunny and bright electric light leads to the activation of undesirable processes that spoil the quality of the wine. The dark glass of the bottles protects the drink somewhat, but not completely. Therefore, the wine shelf in the room chosen for storage should be in the dark almost constantly.

Homemade wines

Many craftsmen at home receive wines that are not inferior in taste to well-known brands. If everyone has their own technological procedures and secrets, then the storage of homemade wines is not much different from the rules for maintaining industrial cellars. The necessary conditions the same: compliance with the temperature regime, maintaining the necessary humidity, peace and protection from light and extraneous odors. Of course, rarely where at home you will find ideal conditions, that is, a specially equipped wine cellar. Most often, a place is allocated for storing homemade wine in a common basement or pantry. A good modern invention, which is becoming more and more widespread among small producers and large collectors, is the wine cabinet.

In cellars and cellars, large volumes of wine are stored in oak barrels. interesting way aging and storage of wines among the peoples of the Caucasus. They use large ones - kemers buried in the ground.

For longer periods, it is advisable to pour the wine from the container in which it settled into a dark glassware. Ideal - in bottles with cork stoppers, you can in jars (there are dark ones with screw-on plastic lids).

How to store in an apartment

The best advice for those who are going to store more than a couple of liters of wine is, of course, to install a special wine cabinet. Alas, the scale of standard apartments does not always allow this, and such pleasure is not cheap. For the fermentation and maturation of the drink, the conditions of the apartment are not the most suitable, but here are a few liters poured into suitable container, can be stored in an ordinary bar, in a refrigerator or in a dark pantry. There are great places in the houses of the old layout - cold closets under the kitchen window sill.

ABOUT plastic bottles forget! Wine, like no other liquid, especially changes its taste and smell from this material. In such a bottle, a draft drink can be transported, and even then not far.

Home appliances for wine

Special cabinets for long-term storage wine bottles have been used for a long time in homes whose owners consider themselves connoisseurs and lovers of good wine. A wine cabinet has nothing to do with a conventional refrigerator. In addition to maintaining a constant required temperature, they perform the functions of complete climate control. Bottles of wine here are in complete peace, a certain humidity and darkness. Such a thing is for those who like to buy wine in bulk, or produce it on their own, but not in such quantities as to build a large wine cellar.

How to store open wine

About where, in what, and how to store wine prepared for a long period, it is already clear. The question remains: what to do with an open bottle of wine? How does a live drink behave when it has access to the environment? After air has entered the bottle, the oxidation process begins, quality drink gradually turns into vinegar. An unfinished bottle of wine should be immediately tightly closed with a cork. This will slow down the oxidation, but will not completely save the wine.

Sparkling wines are the fastest to go bad. Their life after opening is 4 hours, maximum 24 if tightly closed. White, pink, light red wines retain their aroma for up to three days. A dense red drink can please with an unchanged taste for five days. Fortified and sweet wines stay open the longest. Alcohol and sugar resist oxidation. Madeira, sherry, port wine and their other brothers in composition remain in their original form for a week.

How to extend storage lines

First of all, open wine needs cold. At low temperatures, oxidation slows down. Just do not forget to take out the red wine in advance before drinking, to warm it to room temperature - otherwise it will not reveal its entire bouquet.

For a short time, but still, special vacuum stoppers or the addition of gas with a special device will help to extend the life of the wine.

You can pour the rest of the drink into a smaller container with a tightly closed lid. Wine should fill the container to the very top so that there is no room for air.

What to do if you didn’t manage to finish the drink, but it’s a pity to pour it out? Of course, good wines are expensive. Use them in cooking. Oxidized wine is the most best marinade for meat, and not only. Do you think that glorified the Italian and french cuisine? That's right - the use of wine and wine vinegar in the recipe.

Wine is a drink that people have been enjoying for more than a millennium. Many people try to drink it following all the rules so that the taste of wine is fully revealed, but at the same time, few people know how to properly store wine so that it does not lose its properties. Certainly, we are talking about real wines, not about those alcoholic beverages made on the basis of powder and other artificial components. So, how long can you store wine and how to do it right?

How to store wine

Where to store wine is a very important point, because not all places in the house that seem at first glance suitable for storing this drink have optimal conditions. And, it is worth noting that wine is a rather whimsical drink. For example, with regard to the temperature at which wine can be stored for a long time, it is almost the most important factor.

Why is it important to know at what temperature to store wine? Because high temperature, as a rule, significantly accelerates the aging process of wine, and low temperature deprives it of taste properties. Nothing can ruin a wine quite like sudden changes in temperature. The cork begins to deteriorate, as a result of which air enters the bottle of wine and the drink begins to quickly oxidize.

Storage temperature

Optimal for grape wine the temperature is considered to be from 10 to 12 ° C, for dessert - it is allowed two degrees higher.

One of the most important rules on how to store bottled wine, is to ensure complete rest. Wine should not be subjected to any kind of vibrations, shocks, vibrations. Having determined a favorable place for storing wine, you should not shift it, lift the bottle from a horizontal position, or disturb the wine in any other way.

By the way, the horizontal position of the bottle is the most suitable way how to store wine at home.

It is in this position that the cork is in continuous contact with the drink and prevents oxygen from getting inside the container and causing the oxidation process. That is why all modern floor or wall racks, cabinets - thermostats and mini-bars are made in such a way that the bottles are in them exclusively in a horizontal position.

An important condition long storage wine is to maintain the optimal level of humidity in the room, namely 65% ​​- 80%. With such humidity, the cork is reliably protected from drying out, which will exclude the possibility of evaporation and air penetration into the wine bottle. Generally, excessive dampness can cause mold.

Also, before storing wine, it is important to make sure that the room is well ventilated. The wine must "breathe", so there should be no foreign odors that can easily seep through the cork next to it.

So, as you can see, the refrigerator is by no means the place where you can store wine.

Perhaps the best place to store wine is the cellar.

No wonder houses equipped with wine cellar. As a rule, these premises are built from natural materials. So, stone slabs are laid on the earthen floor, the walls are also lined with stone, and the wine racks are made of wood.

It is in the cellar that the wine will be protected from direct sun rays, which cause the appearance of rancidity of wine and its rapid aging. You should also avoid getting rays from fluorescent lamps on wine bottles. It should be remembered that dark glass bottles equipped with ultraviolet filters are the most protected from light rays, but they should also be protected from light.

How long can wine be stored

It should be remembered that not all wines are subject to long-term storage and only become better and richer from this. How long wine can be stored depends on its type. Young wines should be consumed as soon as possible after their production. For example, most white wines should be consumed no more than 3 years after the release date, with the exception of certain brands.

Among the red wines there are those that can be stored for 2, 10, 20, 50 and even 100 years. The latter include the world famous Burgundy and Bordeaux.

How long to store wine - determines the balance of sugar, tannins and acids in it. Many people buy wines while still young and age them for 10 to 30 years, during which their price increases unthinkably. Wines based on Sauvignon, Nebbiolo and Cabernet are revealed within 5 - 7 years, their price is more acceptable.

How to store open wine

How much can be stored open wine and closed - two fundamentally different terms and this should be clearly understood. If an unopened bottle can be stored from 2 to 100 years, then when it is opened, this period is instantly shortened to a matter of days. Much has been said about the inadmissibility of contact of wine with oxygen, and so, when the cork is opened, that irreversible moment comes when the drink begins to closely interact with air, namely, it oxidizes. Regardless of how wine is stored, it can be unusable after a couple of hours. For example, wines long term exposures in minutes can lose their taste properties, therefore, it is not recommended to store them after opening the bottle. But young wines are suitable for use within a few days after opening the bottle. It's quite usable if you know how to store it. open bottle guilt.

• Firstly, open wine can be successfully kept in the refrigerator, since it is in the cold that oxidation processes slow down significantly. In addition, the lower temperature somewhat inhibits the action of acetic bacteria, which are the cause of the spoiled taste of wine.
• Secondly, there is an opinion that the remaining wine should be poured into a container of a smaller capacity, supposedly this will also slow down the oxidation process. And although the hypothesis is not scientifically supported by anything, many argue that the method is actually effective.
• A third way to keep the flavor of an open wine longer is to cork it again and bleed the air out. How? This is very easy to do using a special hand pump that creates a partial vacuum. Such a device can be found in the supermarket, it is quite popular today. However, although the method is not bad at first glance, such wine still loses to those that were stored in the refrigerator or poured into smaller containers.

Why is this happening? Most likely, the fact is that when exposed to a hand pump at reduced pressure, carbon dioxide escapes, as evidenced by the bubbles on the surface of the wine. In addition, along with carbon dioxide other volatile compounds also leave the wine. How long to store open wine, which is in a partial vacuum - everyone decides on their own, but remember that the taste will have to be greatly sacrificed.

Some use more tricky way save open wine. To do this, liquid nitrogen is injected into the bottle with a syringe, which immediately settles on the surface of the drink, preventing volatile compounds from decomposing and oxygen from oxidizing the wine. But buying a bottle of liquid nitrogen is a very expensive business, and storing it is not so easy.

As for sparkling wines, storing them is usually useless. To date, on sale you can find special caps that supposedly do not allow the bubbles to come out of the bottle, but the taste sparkling wine will no longer be the same as the original.

How to store homemade wine

Those who prefer homemade wine would do well to learn how to properly store it, as it is usually made in considerable quantities. The procedure for making this drink, as you know, is a very delicate and time-consuming matter, however, as well as preparation for storage. So, before storing homemade wine, you should prepare dark glass bottles from cider or champagne. They must be thoroughly washed and dried. When the wine is already bottled, they are corked, wrapped in any cloth (preferably tow) and immersed in hot water. When the temperature of the wine reaches 60 ° C, after 20 minutes of this temperature regime, bottles of homemade wine can be taken out and sent to a suitable place. By the way, as for the right place - how to properly store homemade wine does not differ from the conditions and methods of storage. ordinary wine. As for the permissible shelf life of homemade wine, it certainly does not reach 100 or 50 years, but such a drink can be preserved for 5-7 years under favorable conditions.

How to store red wine

There are no special differences in how to store red wine and white wine. But when it comes to timing, red wines definitely win here. Although they require the same favorable storage conditions, they are still less sensitive. IN open form, red wine can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

How to store white wine

Many people want to know how to store white wine. The fact is that due to greater sensitivity to conditions, such varieties of wines have a shorter shelf life. Therefore, a place for them should be chosen carefully. However, there are white wines that have much more long term storage than some reds, and can even outlive them by opening up better. But open white wine is best used after no more than three days.

Aging potential- This is a conditional indicator of the ability of wine to maintain its quality and change for the better over time. Not all wines are equally good for long-term storage and aging, and some of them are not suitable for this at all. Moreover, according to experts only 5-10% of all world grape wines improve after 1 year of storage, and only 1% improve after 5-10 years. The aging potential of a wine depends on many factors: the variety and quality of the raw materials, the vintage, the processing process, the grape growing region and the winemaking style. During aging, due to very complex and not fully understood chemical reactions, a wine suitable for this acquires a softer, more layered, richer taste and aroma. In all respects, the wine is getting better.

How long can you keep a bottle of wine?

It depends on many factors. In general, and we've talked about this many times before, low pH wines (Pinot noir, Sangiovese, etc.) have a lot of aging potential, as do red wines with great content phenols, in particular tannins (Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo and Shiraz). Among the white wines, those with the highest acidity and extract (contain enough non-volatile substances). The ratio of sugars, acids, phenols and water is a key indicator of how well a wine will age.

The golden rule for long-term storage of wine is: it is better to store 10 bottles of one wine than one bottle of 10 different varieties. During aging, the wine needs to be tasted periodically - this is the only way to understand whether it is developing or degrading, as well as to find out when the drink is at its "peak". Tastings are recommended to be held at least once every six months or a year.

Without delving into complex bio chemical processes, we've rounded up a few popular grape wines that aren't at all suitable for long-term storage, and the wines that are best suited for this. We hope you, having studied the composition of these wines and their other features, will be able to derive some patterns and use them in practice in home winemaking. Red wines are better for aging, depending on the aging potential they can be stored for 2 to 10 years. White wines are usually recommended to be consumed 2-3 years after brewing. Sparkling wines are almost identical to whites. But this is not a paradigm and there are always exceptions!

Almost no aging potential (should be drunk immediately or within 1 year):

• German QbA
• Asti and Moscato Spumante
• Pinks like White Zinfandel
• European table wines
• cheap varietal wines(excluding Cabernet Sauvignon)
• Most "country wines" ("vin de pays")
• AOC Ordinary Wines (“vins de primeur”, “vins nouveaux”)
• Vermouth
• Basic sherries
• Ports "Tawny" ("tawny")
• Wines made from grape concentrate

With good aging potential:

• Botrytised wines (5-25 years)
• Chardonnay (2-6 years)
• Riesling (2-30 years old)
• Hungarian Furmint (3-25 years old)
• Chenin Blanc of the Loire Valley (4-30 years old)
• Hunter Valley Semillion (6-15 years old)
• Cabernet Sauvignon (4-20 years old)
• Merlot (2-10 years old)
• Nebbiolo (4-20 years old)
• Pinot noir (2-8 years old)
• Sangiovese (2-8 years old)
• Syrah/Shiraz (4-16 years old)
• Zinfandel (2-6 years old)
• Wines of Bordeaux (8-25 years)
• Burgundy Grand Crus (8-25 years old)
• Aglianico of Taurasi (4-15 years old)
• Baga from Bairrada (4-8 years old)
• Hungarian Kadarka (3-7 years old)
• Bulgarian Melnik (3-7 years old)
• Croatian Plavac Mali (4-8 years old)
• Georgian Saperavi (3-10 years old)
• Madiran Tannat (4-12 years old)
• Spanish Tempranillo (2-8 years old)
• Greek Xinomavro (4-10 years old)
• Vintage ports (20-50 years old)

But the aging potential itself means nothing if the wine is stored in unsuitable conditions for this. One of the most important factors affecting the "survival" of the drink and the evolution of its organoleptics is the ambient temperature. At the same time, the following is true not only for wines that you are going to store for more than 5 years to improve them, but also for wines without aging potential, which you are going to consume 1-2 years after preparation. Even the simplest wine gets better after aging for at least 6 months.

At what temperature should wine be stored?

Fully oxidized wine is dead wine, vinegar, but some oxidative processes are a natural part of aging. During long-term storage of wines, an acceptable level of oxidation is allowed, which occurs due to the contact of the drink with oxygen in the unfilled part of the bottle (the so-called “ullazh”), as well as with a small amount of oxygen entering the bottle through the cork (of course, if just a cork plug). High temperature promotes rapid oxidation, stimulating chemical reactions. For every 8°C increase in temperature, the rate of wine aging doubles.

But this does not mean that the wine, which was stored at room temperature and above, will ripen twice as fast and become better. On the contrary, those non-volatile substances that are elusive for our receptors are oxidized at high temperatures and react so quickly that they do not have time to form complex connections, which are necessary for the formation of a multi-layered taste and aroma. At a storage temperature above 26-27 ° C, the wine can “cook” - instead of light fruity motifs and noble undertones, the drink will acquire the taste of stewed fruit and burnt sugar. Even if the wine is stored for a short time at high temperatures (up to 24 hours), its taste can quickly become dull and inexpressive. At the same time, the wine can be stored for a long time at 20 ° C without a long-term negative effect.

At the other end of the spectrum, wines at storage temperatures below 10°C show little to no aging. In addition, at low temperatures, tartaric acid crystals can develop in the drink, which in no way affect its taste or aroma, but look unpresentable and can damage the oral cavity if they get into your glass.

The average optimum temperature for storage and aging of wines is 12.5 o C.

Of course, this temperature is not ideal for all wines (for example, “full-bodied” reds and dessert wines can and even should be stored at 14-16 o C), but 12 o C will definitely not harm any wine during its short or long-term storage. It is much more important to avoid temperature fluctuations (i.e. temperature changes exceeding 0.5-1.5 ° C per day), which have the most devastating effect on aging wine. Temperature fluctuations not only have a negative effect on oxidative processes, but can also break the tightness of the cork (due to changes in the volume of wine, which expands and presses on the cork when heated, and sucks oxygen into the bottle when cooled).

What other conditions would you like to provide?

In addition to a stable temperature, wine, for its successful storage and aging, needs a number of other optimal conditions. Usually recommended (but not always appropriate): the absence of ultraviolet radiation, a certain level of humidity, the absence of vibrations and a horizontal arrangement. In short, then ideal conditions for storage and aging of wine are considered:

• ambient temperature: 12.5 o C
• annual temperature fluctuations: no more than 2.5-5.5 ° C
• daily temperature fluctuations: no more than 0.5-1.5 ° C
• relative humidity: 70%
• no UV radiation
• no vibration
• horizontal position of the bottle

Relative Humidity

This condition should be taken into account only when the bottle is sealed with a cork stopper. Relative humidity of 50-70% in the room where the wine is stored will prevent the cork from drying out and, as a result, cracking/breaking. Humidity above 80% is undesirable and will cause mold to form on the outside of the cork and label - a purely cosmetic problem.

Ultraviolet radiation

Light grade or "taste of light" ("goût de lumiere", "casse de lumiere") is a term used to describe wines that have been exposed to excessive sunlight or fluorescent light. Such wine acquires the smell of wet wool, burnt rubber, hydrogen sulfide, and even the smell of a substance secreted by the glands of a skunk (due to the formation of mercaptan). White and sparkling wines are more prone to this problem - red wines protect polyphenols (tannins). But even red wines can deteriorate significantly over time after prolonged exposure to UV radiation. The first bastion is tinted bottles that work like sunglasses (some producers bottle their wines in bottles with a UV filter), the second is to store bottles in a dark place, and use incandescent or LED light sources for lighting (fluorescent lamps generate UV radiation). ).

vibrations

It is believed that any, even the most insignificant vibrations will adversely affect the taste of aging wine. Research by Vernon L. Singleton, an American professor of oenology, has shown that significant influence vibrations do not affect the taste or aroma of aging wine, but they lead to a constant dispersion of sediment, which will certainly accumulate on the walls of the bottle (or its bottom if the wine is stored vertically) during the aging process. In theory, this not only affects the transparency of the drink, but also its taste.

Bottle arrangement

Traditionally, bottles are stored on their side, in a horizontal position. So the wine is constantly in contact with the cork, moisturizing it and preventing it from drying out. If you are going to drink wine throughout the year or it is corked with a non-natural cork (now they use various materials, which you can read about in the article), then wine can be stored vertically with the same success. But horizontal shelving saves space and definitely can't harm any bottled wines, so it definitely makes sense.

Where to store wine in an apartment and a private house?

The worst place to store any wine would be the kitchen, garage or any storage room (shed) on the street. The kitchen is usually the warmest place in an apartment or house, it is well lit, and is also subject to constant temperature fluctuations (during cooking) and vibrations (from household appliances). in garages and warehouses there is no way to finely regulate the temperature: in summer it is hot, in winter it is cold. In the garage or in the barn, there are also often various unpleasant odors(gasoline, varnishes, paints, etc.) that can penetrate your wine through the cork.

Everyone knows that the best place for long-term storage and aging of wines is the cellar/cellar. It is usually quite cool, dark and damp. But the basement of the basement is different. Make sure it has no temperature fluctuations, moderate humidity, it is clean and does not have strong third-party odors. If your cellar is not completely underground, store your wines on an underground wall. If the humidity is too high (more than 80%), do not store the wine directly on the ground. Of course, you should take care of buying or self-manufacturing wine rack.

What to do if you do not have a cellar, you live in an apartment? First, find a cupboard or any other piece of furniture in which you can place bottles (the minimum task is to protect the wine from the walls, which will have different temperatures in different periods of the year). If you have not found such a place, try to do wine rack or a shelf on a shaded or north wall. Using a thermometer and hygrometer, measure the temperature and humidity in places where you can arrange storage space. If it comes down to choosing between a space with a higher but stable temperature and a place that is cooler but has temperature fluctuations, choose the first option.

Storing wine in such conditions is a short-term solution and is not at all suitable for its long aging. It is recommended to store wine at room temperature for no more than 6 months.

Can wine be stored in the refrigerator?

Constant temperature fluctuations due to compressor cycling, too low temperature(rarely above 5°C) in general, constant vibrations and low humidity (usually in the range of 17-40%) make the refrigerator one of the worst places to store wine for a long time. Add to this products with strong smell which can affect the taste of the drink.

The refrigerator is only suitable for short-term storage of wines that you plan to drink within 1-2 months!

If you have a spare refrigerator, you can create conditions in it that are suitable for storing wine for 1-2 years. First of all, you need to take care of a stable temperature: fill the free space with eggplants with water or fill the refrigerator completely with wine. The humidity level can be provided by open water tanks. You can also connect a refrigerator through a temperature controller, but then, most likely, you will have to say goodbye to the compressor soon.

Wine coolers/cabinets are a good alternative to a cellar for apartment dwellers. They provide stable temperature, and the tinted door will protect the wine from UV radiation. It is expensive, not suitable for storing wine for too long, but is often the only way to solve the problem.

How to store house wines?

Storage conditions for homemade wines should not differ from the conditions described above, that is, they need to provide the optimum temperature, humidity, etc. As for the aging time, any homemade wine, be it grape or fruit and berry, also has a certain aging potential. Sweeter and stronger wines are stored longer than light and dry ones. Wines with a high content of tannins have a good aging potential. For example, it can be stored for 10-20 years, not only without losing its taste, but also with a noticeable improvement. Popular among home winemakers, they also have good indicators for storing them for up to 10 years (provided that they contain sour apple juice and all the necessary technological processes have been followed).

To increase the aging potential of homemade wines, it is important to properly bottle them while maintaining complete sterility. plastic container should be discarded immediately and used only as a temporary measure (wine can be stored in food grade plastic bottles labeled PET (PETE) or HDP (with the number 1 or 2) for no more than 3 months). You should also avoid storing wine in sealed glass jars. metal lids. As an alternative, conventional glass jars for conservation with glass lids, but always with a sealed gasket made of food grade silicone. This solution is better than the previous ones, but not ideal and should also be considered as a temporary measure (no more than 6 months of storage).

Of course, the best solution for long aging wines is to use traditional wine bottles with cork stoppers. Wine bottle capping equipment can be purchased inexpensively on Chinese marketplaces, for example,. At the bottling stage, it is desirable to use a siphon, which should be lowered as low as possible to the bottom of the bottle in order to minimize the contact of the wine with oxygen. The distance between the wine and the bottom of the cork should be no more than 0.5-1 cm. Be sure to use only new corks that have not been used before!

To minimize the contact of homemade wine with oxygen, the cork can be filled with wax or sealing wax.

Wine is a capricious product that requires careful handling and certain storage conditions. Failure to comply with the temperature regime and other indicators can spoil the taste of a drink brought from the south or from far abroad. In order not to be disappointed after opening the bottle and to fully enjoy the exquisite bouquet, you need to know the rules for storing the “drink of the gods”. This information will be relevant not only for owners home collection, including rare and luxury brands, but also for ordinary lovers of red or white wine.

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  Optimal storage conditions

  The shelf life of wine directly depends on the conditions in which it is located. Even in a hermetically sealed bottle, under certain climatic conditions, irreversible processes can begin that worsen the taste of a noble product or make it look like vinegar. To avoid this situation, bottles of wine must be placed in a place where all of the following requirements will be met.

  bottle position

  It is not recommended to keep sealed bottles upright. The best option is to store wine in horizontally stacked bottles, it is this method that allows you to preserve and improve organoleptic qualities product. In a horizontal position, the cork made of natural material is constantly wetted from the inside, while maintaining the tightness of the package. If the bottle is placed vertically, the cork will begin to dry out and crack due to the evaporation of moisture, resulting in a leak and the taste of the drink will suffer due to oxidation.

  Bottles of wine laid horizontally should not be subjected to mechanical stress: twisted, shifted from place to place, or simply picked up once again. They must be securely fixed, as the product does not tolerate any shaking or vibration.

  As for bottles closed with stoppers made of synthetic materials, they should not be bought for long-term storage. Agglomerated materials do not allow the wine to breathe, and over time, worsen its aroma and taste. Such corks are often used for bottling inexpensive products with a shelf life of no more than 6-12 months.

  Elite and collection brands of wines are sealed with natural cork stoppers, which will retain their unique bouquet for many years. True, from long-term storage, mold may appear on the outside of the cortical material. But this is not scary, since the fungus only affects upper layer cork, and the contents of the bottle remain unchanged.

  

  Best storage option: in a horizontal position and out of the reach of light

  

  Air temperature

  The storage temperature of wine depends on its type.

  During storage, sudden temperature changes should be avoided, because of this the cork material deteriorates, and the wine begins to oxidize. In addition, at low rates, the taste of the product deteriorates, and at temperatures above the norm, the subtlety and freshness of the drink disappear.

  Looking at the data in the table, it is easy to conclude that wine cannot be kept in the refrigerator. In addition to exposure to low temperature, each time the unit is opened, the drink will be subjected to vibration that is detrimental to it.

  

  illumination

  Bright sunlight and artificial light provokes the aging of wine and impairs its quality. Due to exposure to sunlight or the constant operation of fluorescent lamps, the wine will quickly go rancid and become unusable. It is better to keep a noble product where it is always dark, and the lamp turns on occasionally and on a short time.

  Air humidity

  Humidity in the room with wine collection should be maintained at the level of 65-80%. With this indicator, natural moistening of the cork will occur, due to which oxygen, the culprit of irreversible chemical processes, will not be able to get inside the bottle.

  If you store the wine correctly, after uncorking the bottle you can enjoy it. great taste both in a year and in 5 years. True, this applies more to red wines, which can not deteriorate up to 10 years or longer. Here is a drink from white grapes more capricious, so it should not be kept at home for longer than 2-3 years.

  

  A few bottles brought back from travels can be placed in the bottom drawer of the kitchen table: at floor level, the air temperature is several degrees lower

  Suitable places

  Since it is undesirable to store wine simply in the kitchen or in a closet, it is worth choosing a suitable place for it in the house that would meet all the necessary requirements. These can be different options:

  • Cellar or cellar lined with wood or natural stone and equipped with special racks or shelves for bottles. As an alternative, you can use the attic of the house if the temperature inside the room is between +10...+16°C.
  • A small cupboard in the kitchen, located away from central heating radiators and working heaters. In the conditions of city apartments, this can be a “Khrushchev” refrigerator mounted under the kitchen window, or an unheated pantry in the corner room.
  • Wine cabinet-thermostat, accommodating from 50 to 500 bottles. Expensive devices usually have two separate zones for white and red wines with different temperature regime. In cheaper models, the optimum temperature is maintained at the same level throughout the entire volume of the chamber. It is clear that it makes no sense to buy an expensive device to store 2-3 bottles. But when the collection of wines is 15-20 bottles, it is worth considering purchasing a special cabinet.

  All sorts of desktop, hanging or recessed wine bottle racks look quite attractive. They can decorate any interior, but they will only be useful if these structures are placed in places with a suitable temperature for storing wine.

  But on the loggia or balcony it is not recommended to equip racks for storing bottles with a sunny drink. In winter, at temperatures below + 8 ° C, precipitation in the form of tartar is possible, and then the wine will only be used for cooking dishes - meat, pastries or sauces. In summer, when the heat is +30 ... +40 ° C, the noble product will turn into vinegar.

  

  For a solid collection of wines can be purchased special cabinet with climate control

  How to store open wine?

  Unlike sealed products, open wine cannot be stored for a long time. Usually the shelf life of the drink in this case is 3 days, and sparkling wines are even less - 1 day. The reason for this is the chemical processes in the bottle, which begin after the contact of wine with air and do not stop even when the cork returns to its place. Oxygen, which at first helps to reveal the aroma and taste of the drink, destroys the noble bouquet in a matter of days. The same applies to draft wines- it is advisable to drink them within 1-3 days from the date of purchase.

  Only dessert and fortified wines containing increased content alcohol and sugar, can be stored for a week after opening the bottle. But even here, experts do not advise too much delay: white wine is recommended to be consumed within 3 days, red - 5 days.

  Taste " sunny drink» will not suffer during storage if a special place is equipped for it with a constant temperature, humidity and away from light sources. These conditions are equally relevant for store-bought products and for home-made wines.

When buying a large batch of bottled wine, remember that, unlike vodka, whiskey or cognac, this live drink requires special conditions storage. A few days the wine can stand in a cool dark place, but with a long exposure, you need to control many more parameters that affect the shelf life.

Theory. Wine is not made by people, but by microorganisms. Masters only create suitable conditions (temperature, light, sugar content, acidity, etc.) for some bacteria - wine yeast and prevent the development of others that produce vinegar and mold. But even after the wine is bottled, the bacteria in it do not die, they “fall asleep”, waiting for favorable conditions. The activation of any micro-organisms has a negative effect on the wine; it is important to prevent this during storage.

Another shelf life depends on the type of wine, more precisely on the content of alcohol, sugar, acid and tannins in it. Most white wines are kept for 2-3 years, red wines for 2-10 years. Some elite wines, for example, from the French provinces of Bordeaux and Burgundy, are aged up to 100 years. In turn, Beaujolais red wines are stored for no more than a year. This must be taken into account when stocking wine in advance.

According to Russian legislation, manufacturers food products are required to indicate their warranty period. It is interesting that for all wines it is almost the same - 12-24 months. This is confusing for buyers who know that many wines need to be stored much longer. But if you understand the meaning of the term, everything falls into place.

Warranty period- this is the period during which the wine will not undergo physical and chemical changes in color, smell, taste, sediment and consistency that are not provided for by the technical standards of production. To do this, sulfur and other preservatives are added to the composition to prevent the development of bacteria. Over time, their effect weakens.

Wine is drunk even after the end of the warranty period, with proper storage it will not deteriorate, but may change the organoleptic properties. For example, a precipitate will appear or the shade will change. For many elite wines, such a transformation is even desirable; in the language of winemakers, this is called “aging”.

Shelf life of bottled wine

Depends on storage conditions. Optimum temperature– 10-15°С. With more high temperature the drink quickly oxidizes, loses its freshness of taste, at low it stops ripening, and after freezing, restore it taste qualities already impossible. Sharp temperature drops over 5-10 degrees are also undesirable, they can ruin the wine in a few hours.

In places of storage, it is necessary to maintain a constant humidity of 60-80%, which prevents the cork from drying out or mold. Even artificial bright light leads to rapid aging of the wine, and direct sunlight spoils it in a couple of days. Bottles (preferably made of dark glass) are best stored in a horizontal position so that the cork does not dry out. They must have a secure fit, not be subjected to vibration, shock, oscillation and strong noise.

Only two places are suitable for long-term storage of wine: the cellar and the wine cabinet. The basement is considered a classic, but for most city dwellers it is a pipe dream. It is better for them to think about purchasing a good wine cabinet, in which automation maintains the desired microclimate. Manufacturers have options for different amount bottles.

Shelf life of open wine

Once the cork is opened, oxygen enters the bottle, causing the wine to oxidize. The more air entered and the higher the temperature, the faster this process proceeds. You can't stop it, you can only slow it down. Changes in taste are felt after a few hours, and after 2-3 days any wine turns into vinegar.

To prolong the life of the wine, it is enough to pour it into a container of a smaller volume (preferably fill up to the very neck), tightly close the bottle with a cork and put it in the refrigerator. This simple method will increase the shelf life of open sparkling wine (champagne) from 4 to 24 hours, white wine - from 1 to 3 days, red - from 1 to 5 days, fortified - up to 7 days.

Restaurants and bars use special devices that tightly close the bottle and pump out the air from it, creating a vacuum. But they have one drawback - the wine loses its aroma. It is not advisable to use these devices at home.