Best way to store wine?

**capcrnch** · 02-12-2008, 11:16 AM

What's the best way to store our homemade wine?

We've got about a case and a half of an Australian River Reserve that we bottled in late November in the basement. The basement is cooler, probably a little cooler then room temp. The bottles are in a box with the lid closed, away from light.

Are we ok to leave them how they are?
Should we be putting them in a fridge until they are opened?
How long can they sit like that before we reach a "danger zone" where they should be opened and drank?

Thanks!

beala · 02-12-2008, 04:22 PM

Normal cellaring conditions would be optimum. So, that would mean:

a constant temp of 50-60F (The temp shouldn't change much day to day, but it's ok if there are small gradual changes with the seasons.)
low humidity
darkness
they should be placed such that wine is always in contact with the cork (ie on their sides or diagonally)
should not be disturbed (ie, no vibrations, no picking up the bottle to admire every week, etc)

Quote:

[1] Are we ok to leave them how they are?
[2] Should we be putting them in a fridge until they are opened?
[3] How long can they sit like that before we reach a "danger zone" where they should be opened and drank?

1) Sounds like the only problem is that they're not on their sides. The wine needs to been in contact with the cork to keep it moist. If they dry, they may shrink and ruin the seal.
2) Nope, good how they are (well, almost. see above).
3) I'm not sure of this particular wine kit, but the quick wine kits (28 day, 6 gal kits in the $50-$100 range) usually only get better up to about a year.

**capcrnch** · 02-12-2008, 10:09 PM

Actually, they're in the box, on its side, so the cork is still nice and wet!

I figured, its wine, its gotta be good for a long time, its supposed to get better with age

TY!

FatDuc · 02-12-2008, 10:16 PM

Just a point to press home about this, was this a "28 day" kit? The Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay that my wife and I did specified that if we intended to age the wine for longer than 6 months that we would need to add additional potassium metabisulfite that was not included with the kit. We opted to add that. Your wine may be different though.

**capcrnch** · 02-13-2008, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ma2brew

Just a point to press home about this, was this a "28 day" kit? The Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay that my wife and I did specified that if we intended to age the wine for longer than 6 months that we would need to add additional potassium metabisulfite that was not included with the kit. We opted to add that. Your wine may be different though.

That's a very good question and honestly, I don't know.
I'm sure the instructions are gone..

I'll be taking a trip to my LHBS this weekend. I'll check out one of their instructions.

Greggy · 02-13-2008, 02:36 AM

From working at a wineshop, your going to want to avoid big flucuations, light, and always store the bottles on their side. Follow those and you should be set.

Greg

**capcrnch** · 02-13-2008, 02:38 AM

Well I found instructions online.
And yup, it says to add extra metabisulphite to prevent oxidation

Argh.
Now what?

FatDuc · 02-13-2008, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capcrnch

Well I found instructions online.
And yup, it says to add extra metabisulphite to prevent oxidation

Argh.
Now what?

I don't know...

I guess wait until someone genuinely experienced in this chimes in again, like Yooper or the like. Your only remedy might not be too bad though, as it might just mean you drink this batch up sooner than planned and age the next batch with the extra metabisulfite.

beala · 02-13-2008, 03:42 AM

Maybe some clever wine maker can come up with a solution to this, but I don't think that's necessary, mostly because it's not much of a problem. Aging a kit like this past a year isn't really going to improve it. Aging helps to mellow harsh flavors from tannins and high alcohol content (among other things), but kits like this lack those big flavors, which is why they're drinkable so quickly. If extra aging would have helped the wine, the kit makers probably would have provided the $0.10 worth of metabisulfate.

To sum it up, your wine will probably reach it's peak in about 6 months. Past a year, it will probably begin to deteriorate (even if you had added the metabisulfate). I'd start drinking at around the 3 month mark.

**Yooper** · 02-13-2008, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beala

Maybe some clever wine maker can come up with a solution to this, but I don't think that's necessary, mostly because it's not much of a problem. Aging a kit like this past a year isn't really going to improve it. Aging helps to mellow harsh flavors from tannins and high alcohol content (among other things), but kits like this lack those big flavors, which is why they're drinkable so quickly. If extra aging would have helped the wine, the kit makers probably would have provided the $0.10 worth of metabisulfate.

To sum it up, your wine will probably reach it's peak in about 6 months. Past a year, it will probably begin to deteriorate (even if you had added the metabisulfate). I'd start drinking at around the 3 month mark.

+1 on that. I did add the k-meta to the valpollicella kit (it was a "cheap" winexpert) but noticed that it is not aging well. We should enjoy these kits young anyway. I'd say to plan to drink it all within a year to a year and a half for best flavor.