+- WineBoard (https://www.wines.com/wineboard)
+-- Forum: GENERAL (https://www.wines.com/wineboard/forum-100.html)
+--- Forum: For the Novice (https://www.wines.com/wineboard/forum-2.html)
+--- Thread: Wine Storeage (/thread-17065.html)
- Bob from UNB - 01-03-2000
Without having to build an elaborate wine cellar, does anyone have any advice on wine storeage? We have a cold cellar in our basement but I expect this room is too cold for wine storeage. How important is a constant temperature? Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.
- tomstevenson - 01-04-2000
How cold is it? Does a cold room in a New Brunswick basement freeze? If so, then lining it on all six surfaces with 10" polystyrene blocks is the cheapest imperfect solution. To be frank, any temperature above freezing and below 12 Celsius is "ideal" to one degree or another, but constant temperature is more important than degrees. A constant 20 Celsius is better than bouncing from 1 to 12. Above 12, however, the effect on longevity, particularly of whites and sparkling, is increasingly noticeable - something I try to get over to those who have temperature controlled units set at 14!
- Randy Caparoso - 01-06-2000
Consistency of temperature, and zero to low lighting, are key factors. But conventional wisdom holds that 12 to 16 degrees Celsius (55-60 Farenheit) is ideal. Opinions of connoisseurs diverge when it comes to lower temperatures than that. In any case, close to freezing temperatures is generally not recommended -- you want your wine to age gracefully and slowly, but not so slowly that it doesn't age at all!
- tomstevenson - 01-07-2000
I'm not a connoisseur, but I love wine and studying it is my job. Holding a wine at close to zero is impractical unless you happen to be in a part of the world where that is the norm. I was not suggesting that Bob should keep his wine at very low temperatures, just not to worry at any consistent temperature above freezing and below 12 Celsius, as it would be ideal to one degree or another for longterm storage (providing its not in a refrigerator!). The most immaculately preserved wine I have tasted in my life has been the Heidsieck 1907 Gout Americain that had spent 80 years at a constant 4 Celsius at the bottom of the Baltic. As for the degradation of wine being stored at a constant temperature above 12 Celsius, there are plenty of scientific papers demonstrating this (although, again, I emphasis that a constant 20 is better than bouncing from 1 to 12 Celsius). I could give many examples from personal experience, but the one that brought the 12+ point home to me was a visit to Flora Springs in 1993, when the Chardonnay back to 1989 was fine, but the 1988 and 1987 had that oxidised-cum-maderised character a white wine has once its gone over. I asked for second bottles to be opened, but they were the same and I was told they were all like that. My 1987s at home were still fine. Flora Springs claimed at that time to have a constant 14 Celsius, my cellar is not as good as I would like, but it has a constant 12. To this I would add that the difference in potential longevity between Champagnes coming from cellars with a constant 9.5 Celsius (such as Pol Roger) or 10 Celsius (various) and those at 11 Celsius (average) is well known. Oh, and Randy, that's my last post on the matter: I won't be lured in again!
- Randy Caparoso - 01-07-2000
Well put, Mr. Stevenson.