Proper storage of wine at home: advice from winemakers and sommeliers

How to renew storage rows

First of all, open wine needs coldness. Oxidation slows down at low temperatures. Just do not forget to take out the red wine before use, 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 leftover drink into a smaller container with a tightly closed lid. The 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 your cooking. Oxidized wine is the best marinade for meat, and more. Think what made Italian and French cuisine famous? That's right - the use of wine and wine vinegar in the recipe.

Features of storage of different varieties

Experts concluded that only 1% of the wines produced in the world improve their taste after 5-10 years, in 5-10% of strong drinks it becomes better after a year after production. Some of the winemakers' products are not suitable for long-term storage.

An important property is influenced by the quality of raw materials, production technology, region of grape growing, storage conditions

Sparkling

This type of alcoholic beverages should not be stored for more than a day in an opened bottle. Even in the presence of a sealed stopper, they lose their aroma, gas, and become like water.

White

Half-drunk white wine can be stored in the refrigerator for only 3 days. After this period, pour it or put it on the marinade or cooking dessert.

Pink

Even in the refrigerator, rose wine will turn to vinegar on the third day after opening the bottle. It is better to drink light table drinks during the day. During this time, they do not have time to oxidize, retain their original aroma and taste.

Dessert

In dessert wines, the percentage of sugar and alcohol is high, so the oxidation processes in them are slower. In an open bottle, spirits are stored for at least a week.

Homemade

Requirements for the storage conditions of homemade wine are standard. It is often poured into jars and stored in a cellar has been consumed for a number of years. After opening, the container with the remnants of the wine is sent to the refrigerator.

Young

For a long time, wine that has undergone heat treatment - pasteurization is stored. It is carried out in two ways:

1. Containers with wine are placed in a container filled with water. The neck is plugged with a cotton swab. The water is heated to 60 ° C. Heat treatment is continued for 20 minutes, then the bottles are removed, corked, sent to storage.
2. Closed bottles are immersed in water so that it completely hides them. Heated to 70-72 ° C. This temperature is maintained for 30 minutes. Allow the water to cool. First, the corks are filled with paraffin, then the bottles are sent for storage.

How to store homemade wines

For lovers of making a wine drink with their own hands, it is useful to know how to properly store homemade wine. It is often stored in jars, but dark champagne bottles are better suited as containers - for such important reasons:

• dark glass protects from light;
• taste is better preserved;
• the glass bottle looks beautiful.

They must be clean and dry. Alcohol is poured into them, corked and placed in hot water. Upon reaching + 60 ° C, you need to keep the bottles in this mode for 20 minutes. They are then retrieved and sent to storage.

How do you store wine?
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A place

Where to store wine in the apartment? First, an experienced sommelier will tell you about it - well, after that we will add a little.

It is best to do this in a special wine cabinet, the shelves of which are equipped with vibration protection, and the glass protects the bottles from the effects of light. You can also allocate a separate place and make sure that all the conditions are there: the required temperature and humidity, as well as the ability to lay the bottles horizontally. This can be a specially equipped part of a pantry or room.

The best place is an equipped cellar. There are no foreign smells, there is the necessary humidity and temperature. Such a cellar is equipped with low lighting and special cells for storing bottles.

To preserve wine for many years, you need to adhere to just a few rules, which we talked about above. But the correct storage of wine in bottles guarantees the drink a good taste, with which it will thank you for your efforts.

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How to properly store homemade wine

In addition to observing the above storage requirements, it is necessary to ensure complete rest of the wine - it is unacceptable to transfer, shake, even move the vessel unnecessarily, since this accelerates oxidative processes. It is preferable to store the wine in a lying, horizontal position so that the cork is moistened, which prevents it from drying out, allowing oxygen to pass through, and additionally affects the taste of the grape drink, avoiding evaporation.

In the cellar

A special wine cellar with strict control over illumination, temperature and humidity is considered to be an ideal place for storing wine. It is built from natural stone and wood, it should be well ventilated and equipped with shelves for storing wine bottles. It is unacceptable for the bottles to come into contact with products with strong odors, as the wine "breathes" through the cork and absorbs them. Racks and shelves must be placed so that there is free access to their contents.

In the apartment

If you do not have a cottage or summer cottage, and keeping wine in the cellar is impossible, then you will have to carefully select a place in the apartment for this. An excellent solution is the purchase of a special wine cabinet with climate control. Inexpensive models hold several bottles and maintain only one temperature regime, in expensive ones they store up to a couple of dozen units of wine, and the temperature can vary at different levels of the cabinet.

Specialized wine storage racks are popular. They are:

• Tabletop. Designed for a small amount, they can not only store, but also serve wine to guests.
• Outdoor. Spacious, made of metal or durable wood.
• Suspended. Small, fit perfectly into the interior.

Often, kitchen cabinets are already provided with cabinets or grates without access to light for the safety of bottles. An original design solution will be the purchase of a mini-bar, which will not only emphasize the style of the room, but also very convenient for storing and drinking wine. You can equip a special cabinet in the pantry for storing homemade wine. The main thing is that direct sunlight does not fall, and there is no high humidity in the room,

Sommelier advice

How to store opened bottles of wine? Ideally, the answer to this question involves the use of a wine cellar and the use of special equipment with which you can create a vacuum. In such storage conditions, products will be able to retain their own properties for a maximum period. But in most situations this is impractical, for which reason a refrigerator or wine cabinet can be used for storage.

It is recommended to pour the remaining drink into a new container, the volume of which should correspond to the amount of wine. It is advisable to fill the bottle to the neck, so you minimize contact with air. Preference should be given to dark glass containers, because when interacting with artificial lighting and sunlight, the wine loses its properties. In addition, the stopper must seal the bottle tightly. It is recommended to store the container in an upright position, so you will prevent the clogging material from drying out. If plastic is used, this rule may be disregarded.

During storage in the cellar, moisture should be taken into account. The best level is 60-80%. The air temperature may vary depending on the specific variety, but should be around + 10 ... +15 ° С.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that if you want to extend the shelf life of an open bottle of wine, then you must comply with all the necessary conditions described above.

White

How to store white wine is a question that interests many. White varieties are more sensitive to storage conditions, which is why they do not retain quality as long as red ones. But there are varieties of white wines that are able to "survive", red and even better to open up. But after opening, the use of such a product is desirable no later than 3 days later.

Even if the storage conditions of the wine have been violated and it has lost its quality, it is not necessary to pour it out right away. Such a product is used as an additive to various dishes that are heat-treated.

General storage table at temperatures from +8 to + 18 ° С

Now you know how to store wine at home, and you will undoubtedly do it right.

How to store homemade wines?

Storage conditions for home wines should not differ from the conditions described above, that is, they need to ensure the optimal temperature, humidity, etc. As for the aging period, any homemade wine, whether it is grape or fruit and berry, also has a certain aging potential. Sweeter and stronger wines last longer than lighter and drier wines. Wines with a high tannin content have good aging potential. For example, chokeberry wine can be stored for 10-20 years, not only without losing its taste, but also with a noticeable improvement. Apple wines, popular among home winemakers, 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 home wines, it is important to bottle them properly while maintaining complete sterility. Plastic containers should be discarded immediately and used only as a temporary measure (you can store wine in food-grade plastic bottles, marked PET (PETE) or HDP (with the number 1 or 2), for no more than 3 months)

You should also avoid storing wine in glass jars, rolled up with metal lids. As an alternative, you can consider ordinary glass jars for preservation with glass lids, but always with a sealed food-grade silicone seal. 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).

We recommend that you read the article on sulfur dioxide in wine - another important factor influencing the aging potential of wine. The use of sulfur at the stage of bottling wine will significantly increase its chances of successful and long-term storage .. Of course, the best solution for bookmarking wine for long-term aging would be to use traditional wine bottles with cork stoppers.

Wine bottle capping equipment can be purchased inexpensively on Chinese marketplaces, for example, on AliExpress. During the bottling phase, it is advisable 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 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 previously used!

Of course, the best solution for long-aging wine is to use traditional wine bottles with cork stoppers. Wine bottle capping equipment can be purchased inexpensively on Chinese marketplaces, for example, on AliExpress. During the bottling phase, it is advisable 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 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 previously used!

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

Storage methods

Would you like such a kit for yourself? Both the girl and the wine are all in the refrigerator. Stored

It is possible to store wine in open bottles at home - but it will be best if you learn a few life hacks before storage begins. In this case, the best option is your own wine cellar or equipment, due to which a vacuum is created.

In places of storage underground, humidity should be from 65 to 85%, which is optimal for wine, and the temperature should not exceed 14 degrees. The room itself must be well ventilated.

But for most of those interested, this option is not suitable. There is no need to despair. There are several ways to store an open drink in an apartment for a long time. So, open wine can be kept in the refrigerator and even frozen. Others pour open wine from a vessel into a smaller vessel, filling it to the brim. This will minimize contact with air.

It is better to keep open wine in a dark container, because it is not too resistant to UV rays and even artificial light. The tighter the cork closes the container, the better.

In fridge

Ideal if the cork is not lost. By sealing the opened bottle, oxygen penetration and oxidation can be prevented. Food stays fresh in the refrigerator much longer than in a room. Indeed, in the cool, oxidation processes slow down.

Someone has a refrigerator ... how is it in our survey: “I only store cognac in it”?

Transfusion

It has already been said above that the shelf life of the product can be increased due to the transfusion procedure from a larger container to a smaller one.

If you ignore the advice and leave the vessel open with unfinished liquid, it will begin to oxidize faster due to reactions with oxygen.

Vacuum plug

You can also store an open bottle using a method such as a special wine stopper. The vacuum device is inserted into the neck, after which the air is evacuated and a vacuum is formed inside. How long can open wine be stored like this? Two to three weeks without risk of deterioration or oxidation. However, the taste may deteriorate.

Inert gas cylinders or cartridges

The use of inert gases like nitrogen or argon is practiced in factories that make wine. In an apartment, this method is rarely used.

If an open bottle is to be stored, the empty space must be filled with gas. It will not allow oxygen to penetrate and start the oxidation process.

There are specialists who prefer to inject gas with a medical syringe directly through the plug. But this is quite inconvenient and difficult. The second way is to purchase a device that resembles a pistol with a fine needle. It is necessary to pierce the cork with them and fill the vessel with gas. Due to the pressure, the wine enters the glass, and after that the needle is removed and the container is removed until required. The hole is tightened and the drink is not spoiled.

This method, unfortunately, will not work with sparkling wines - carbon dioxide will still be released in a couple of hours.

Freezing

The original method involves keeping an open bottle of wine in the freezer. Of course, you should not put a drink directly in a glass container. But the leftovers can be frozen in another way.

Freezing open wine is easy. It is enough to use special ice molds made of plastic or rubber, rubberized fabric. Then you should pour the rest of the wine and send it to the freezer. In the hot season, ice floes make excellent desserts.

Storage

Old wine cellars, on the study of which conclusions were made about the correct storage of grape alcohol, and nowadays successfully cope with their purpose. In the absence of specially equipped wine cellars, you can try to keep a lovingly made drink in a private house, or even a city apartment, choosing a room where it is possible to recreate these five components.

The temperature should be constant, about 10–12 ° С for table wines and 14–16 ° С for dessert wines. It is this range without sudden changes that will provide coolness and allow the wine to mature properly during long-term storage, revealing its best qualities. A lower temperature prolongs the process of wine maturation, while a higher temperature accelerates it. Both that, and another not in the best way affects the quality of the homemade drink.

You should not store wine where you constantly look to get something. Find a secret place for him somewhere far away. Seclusion will provide darkness and silence. Under the influence of direct sunlight, the wine quickly deteriorates, its shelf life in a bright room is significantly reduced

The absence of ultraviolet radiation is especially important for the preservation of the color of white wines

Silence in our case is synonymous with peace and implies the absence of all kinds of vibrations, shaking and vibrations. You shouldn't even take a bottle of wine in your hands unnecessarily. True connoisseurs do not bother them even to dust off.

In addition, the selected room should be moderately humid. A humidity level of 60–70% is optimal. Too high humidity leads to the appearance of mold, and if the air is too dry, the wine begins to evaporate vigorously.

The so-called "shrinkage" of wine is a completely ordinary matter. Under normal storage conditions, it is about 0.5% per year. The dryness of the air contributes to the drying and cracking of the cork, the cork ceases to be airtight, after which the evaporation of the wine becomes more intense. As we already know, wine for storage must be poured into a container under the neck so that the air gap is as small as possible, it must be refilled periodically. So, too dry air in the storage room will add work for you, forcing you to refill more often.

The air must circulate freely between the wine containers and be constantly renewed. Poor-quality, musty air is especially harmful to a drink stored in a wooden container. And the wine in the glass will not be saved, the unpleasant smell will penetrate through the pores of the cork and the wine will be communicated. And there, even a stone's throw from illness.

In a city apartment, the place that best suits these conditions is a small storage room, arranged in the wall under the window.The so-called window refrigerator. Basically, the owners of window-sill refrigerators are residents of houses with old layouts.

If there is no suitable corner in your home, you can purchase special climate-controlled cabinets. They keep your bottles dark, cool, moist, well-circulated and calm.

Homemade wines

Many craftsmen at home get wines that are not inferior in taste to the promoted brands. If everyone can have 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 are the same: compliance with the temperature regime, maintaining the necessary humidity, rest and protection from light and foreign odors. Of course, you rarely find ideal conditions at home, 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 invention of our time, which is becoming 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. An interesting way of aging and storing wines among the peoples of the Caucasus. They use large clay vessels - kemras, buried in the ground.

For longer periods, it is advisable to pour the wine from the container in which it was settled into dark glassware. Ideally - in bottles with cork stoppers, it is possible in jars (there are some dark ones with screwed plastic caps).

At what temperature should wine be stored

The ideal temperature for storing wine indoors is considered to be between +10 and +15 degrees. The fulfillment of this condition contributes not only to the good preservation of the drink, but also allows it to be served without undue ceremony.

The most picky about storage conditions are white and rosé wines, as well as champagne. They require a stable temperature regime, since:

• Excessively hot temperature ages the drink, it loses its delicate and fresh aftertaste;
• In the cold, the drink also stops ripening and loses its organoleptic characteristics;

Abrupt changes in the surrounding climate can negatively affect the safety of the cork in the bottle. In this case, outside air will begin to penetrate inside, oxidizing the drink. Therefore, the answer to the question: "At what temperature is it optimal to store wine?", Will be - +10 +15 degrees Celsius.

Sommelier of the restaurant "Macau" Sergey Shteigerwald (Rostov-on-Don):

The most important thing when storing wine at home is to ensure its peace. It should be dark place, where sunlight does not penetrate and where there are no temperature changes. It is not recommended to store wine in the refrigerator: at low temperatures, the process of "development" of wine slows down, unless, of course, we are talking about ordinary wines "for every day", for which this process is of secondary importance.

In addition, it is not worth storing wine in places with a high temperature, under such conditions the wine “matures” much faster, which will ultimately lead to spoilage of the product. The ideal storage location is wine cabinet with the correct temperature control. The best storage temperature for wine is between 8 and 15 degrees.

If you often drink wine at home, it is best to purchase a small wine cooler. They are small in size - especially for an apartment. If this option does not suit you, I advise you to store white wine and champagne (sparkling) in the refrigerator, and before serving, keep the bottle at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Store red wine at home. in a dark and cool place without direct contact with sunlight. Before serving, rosé and red wines should be chilled slightly to emphasize the freshness and elegance of the fruit.This can be done with an ice bucket and a little water, where the bottle will cool in 5-7 minutes.

About shelf life of open wine

According to the storage duration, all drinks are divided into 2 groups: perishable, which improve the taste over the years. The first group of wines is characterized by rapid oxidation on contact with air. Each type of wine product has its own shelf life after opening.

Sparkling

Sparkling drinks are saturated with carbon dioxide. Depending on the strength (10.5-12.5%) and sugar content (0.3-12%), they are subdivided into semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet. After opening, the drink must be drunk within 24 hours.

White

Drinks are obtained by fermentation of must (without grains, skins) of light grape varieties. They also use berries with a burgundy skin, the pulp of which is not colored. After opening, a bottle of white homemade wine should be drunk within a day (24 hours).

Red

The raw materials are berries of burgundy varieties of culture. The wort is taken with grains and skins. During fermentation, they release phenolic compounds, a coloring pigment, and give the wine astringency. Light red wines can be drunk (after opening the bottle) for 3 days, strong - 5 days, fortified - 7 days.

Pink

To get rosé wine, they take a must that has no pulp. Any varieties are used. Draft table drinks should be placed on the shelf in the refrigerator, drunk by the end of the 3rd day.

Dessert

For a whole week you can enjoy sherry, sauternes, Madeira, port wine if you put (put) a bottle in the refrigerator. These foods contain a lot of sugars that inhibit oxidative processes.

When tasting

Having figured out how to store homemade wine, it remains to figure out how to use it correctly. Treat your drink with respect and care. Even if you consider your experience as a debut, not deprived of the right to error, then remember that the product has been infused for some time and its quality can pleasantly surprise. Return the bottle to an upright position and examine it in the light. Do you notice any discharge on the lid? The aroma of a tainted drink? Was there a surplus of sugar coming out? Repulsive nuances are not the most pleasant signals. Open the bottle. An unpleasant odor may come out here, but it's just a concentrated scent. Let the wine breathe and you will experience the truth. Pour about a third of the wine into the glass and let it rinse the glass. Then, with exactly the same movements, you will roll it in your mouth in order to feel the bouquet. Do not forget about the appetizer and the rule of its selection from true connoisseurs: the more expensive the drink, the easier the appetizer served. A universal choice - grapes, white bread, hard cheese without spices.