Storing Bottled Wine

[Gonzo_Don]

Does anybody store their bottled wine in something like a Rubbermaid Brute container in a closet? I've got no cellar, the garage is a million degrees, and I'm concerned about a cork popping loose. I figure if I bottle my wine and store it on its side in a Rubbermaid container in a guest room closet, I've solved the problem of light, temperature control, and an unplanned and unexpected cork pop or bottle explosion. But I can't find anybody who's tried this so I don't know if it'll work or not.

 

[scumbuster]

I have not tried that however unless you plan on keeping your wine for many years storing it standing up shouldn't be an issue. Mostly storing on the sides was due to natural cork stoppers shrinkage and evaporation. Now with non cork (composite) stoppers available I store mine in the original box that the bottles come in and tape the top shut and write on the top of the box what's inside. Someone may have more of an experts explanation but I heard unless you use natural cork stoppers it isn't important to have on there side.

 

[pumpkinman2012]

I see no problem with storing the bottles in the closet, I will have to respectfully disagree with storing the bottles standing up, this can result in the corks drying up, sometimes this doesn't take many years.
I actually store mine in their original cases upside down, the corks stay moist, I can stack the cases if I need to, and the separators that the cases came with keep the bottles from touching each other.

 

[mmb]

I see no problem with storing the bottles in the closet, I will have to respectfully disagree with storing the bottles standing up, this can result in the corks drying up, sometimes this doesn't take many years.
I actually store mine in their original cases upside down, the corks stay moist, I can stack the cases if I need to, and the separators that the cases came with keep the bottles from touching each other.

Synthetic corks don't dry out. I believe that's what the previous poster was mentioning when he said he stored his bottles upright. Natural cork needs to be in contact with the wine to prevent drying out and shrinking.

Upright with synthetic corks is a better storage process because of the minimal head space possibly exposed to O2. There is much more surface area exposed when laying on its side. Upside down would minimize that surface area if you really have to use natural cork. I just don't see the benefit of natural cork v synthetic when taking into account the possibilities of cork taint and the storage demands. *shrug*

 

[scumbuster]

Thanks for the clarification on my position mmb. You said it more eloquently than me.

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

Homebrew store says the fake corks are only good for a couple of years and they suggest natural cork for longer than two yrs. They been using the real deal for hundreds of years so that is what I cork with

 

[pumpkinman2012]

Synthetic corks don't dry out. I believe that's what the previous poster was mentioning when he said he stored his bottles upright. Natural cork needs to be in contact with the wine to prevent drying out and shrinking.

MMB, I understand what he was referencing, I was directing m,y reply to the original poster as he didn't mention anything about synthetic corks, I've been making wine long enough to know the difference, but thanks for pointing that out.

They been using the real deal for hundreds of years so that is what I cork with

I couldn't agree more, not to mention the fact that synthetic corks have issues with a few of the floor corkers.
I've made wine in Italy and here in the US, I have yet to find a winery that is using synthetic corks.
Here is a little piece taken from a reliable source:

"A small amount of oxygen is necessary for aging wine. Without oxygen, most of the natural reactions that occur between the hundreds of chemical compounds in a bottle of wine can’t happen, and the wine can’t develop so-called “aging flavors", Screwcaps and synthetic corks prevent oxygen from getting to the wine. Sure, this prevents over-oxidation, but so does drinking wine the day it’s bought. In short, a synthetic-corked bottle doesn't really “age”–it’s just taking up space in the cellar.

and

Synthetic corks and screw caps could leech chemicals into the wine. We don’t yet know how the compounds that make up plastics interact with the compounds in wine, but there are many studies that indicate the harmful effects the ingestion of plastics can have on the human body.

I'll stick with natural corks.

 

[Gonzo_Don]

I'm 62, guys. If synthetic corks leech chemicals into the wine that'll kill me in 40 years, I'm good with that.

 

[Twerp129]

MMB, I understand what he was referencing, I was directing m,y reply to the original poster as he didn't mention anything about synthetic corks, I've been making wine long enough to know the difference, but thanks for pointing that out.


I couldn't agree more, not to mention the fact that synthetic corks have issues with a few of the floor corkers.
I've made wine in Italy and here in the US, I have yet to find a winery that is using synthetic corks.
Here is a little piece taken from a reliable source:


and


I'll stick with natural corks.

Randall Graham, one of America's best winemakers at Bonny Doon has this to say "I think [corks breath]. After the initial shot of oxygen they contain, granted the very best corks behave like screw caps. They have a very slow oxygen transmission rate, which a wine with some life energy can stand and actually benefit from."

Of course, it's taken us Americans some time to clear this mental hurdle, even with only a few decades of making decent wine under our belts. The Aussi's and Kiwi's figured this out back in '01 and have bottled proof that wine doesn't require massive ingress of O2 to age.

Plus screw caps don't impart TCA. It doesn't make sense to use something with a 4% failure rate, especially considering that 4% is with winery-grade inspected corks that are pricey and inaccessible to the home winemaker. Conglomerates make more sense for the hobbyist, they seal well and allow for a consistent ingress of O2 and there is no chance of TCA.

 

[RachmaelBenApplebaum]

I've used agglomerated and some bottles are 3-4 years old, no sign of deterioration or TCA. I've also run the gamut of everything in between and they have varying results. All natural corks I really haven't noticed a difference, other than price and the visceral aspect. Synth corks are also fine and some are very pricey, mimicking the texture and "breatheability" of natural corks and many wineries in AZ use them for their more economically priced table wines since they're not expected to cellar for any appreciable amount of time. For further understanding of the cork debate http://www.wineweekly.com/wine-basics/wine-basics-aging-wine/