Wine Storage

[WTD]

Bugs bitten and im thinking long term storage options.

Im making strong reds with blueberries, 7kg per 11L water about 13-14% ABV and PH 3.3. Im still only a few batches in and yet to try my first but they tasted nice going from primary to secondary. Yet to get a TA kit too. I do want to make some light reds too but not as much.

Here the winters can be reasonable, maybe 18-26 degrees C in winter (depending on if heater is on) and summer im guessing 24*C - 32*C depending on if the aircon is on.

Im thinking this is too hot for long term storage, 1 or 2 year + storage in wine bottles. Is this temp range ok for us home brew wine makers or is a Wine Fridge a good idea for someone with no cellar (i live in a unit) or cool storage options.

secondly corking options for long term storage (im yet to buy one), is the hand corker with 2 levers you pull down on the side not the best option for 1+ or 2+ year storage and should i go the floor mounted option for more dollars? read others say only the big corker will push in the biggest corks best for long term storage. If so ill buy the floor standing wine corker. I want them to last. better to buy right first im thinking.

Before i finish, are there screw cap options? havent seen any yet, all the reds i buy come screw top?

Cheers

 

[jonereb]

I use a hand corker with #8 corks, but I only plan to store for 2 to 4 years. Works for me.

 

[kh54s10]

I don't have cooling options either. I haven't kept any of my wines for longer than a couple of years. They probably suffered from not storing at optimum temperatures but I don't have discriminating taste buds and cannot really tell the difference.

I never used a 2 handle corker, but considering what it takes to put a #9 cork in a bottle with my floor corker I don't think I would want to do a lot of bottles with the 2 handle style.

Go for the floor corker if you plan on doing much wine.

 

[WTD]

Thanks, ill go the floor corker.

i plan on doing 12+ bottle batches at least 6 times a year, more if time/money permits. Ive made pleanty of whisy from grain in the past and i learned the importance of long term aging from that. so far made 23 bottle equivelant in the past 1.5 months in practice stage.

What is a #8 and #9 cork, here in australia it looks like i can get 38mm long corks and 44mm long corks with a diameter of 24mm.

is a #9 cork the 44mm long equvelant or can i get longer?

 

[kh54s10]

Found this:
If you have a wine bottle corker you will want to purchase either the size #8 or size #9 corks. The diameter of these corks are 7/8″ and 15/16″, respectively.

I think here in the States you can get regular or long length corks. The difference is small enough that I don't pay any attention to length. Though if keeping for long term I would opt for the long ones.

 

[NinjaBear]

I never used a 2 handle corker, but considering what it takes to put a #9 cork in a bottle with my floor corker I don't think I would want to do a lot of bottles with the 2 handle style.

I use #9 and a two handle corker. It’s not difficult but if you’re recycling bottles (aka different types/sizes) it can get annoying to adjust the depth.

Don’t know if the floor corker is any easier for that. Don’t have room for it.

 

[kh54s10]

I use #9 and a two handle corker. It’s not difficult but if you’re recycling bottles (aka different types/sizes) it can get annoying to adjust the depth.

Don’t know if the floor corker is any easier for that. Don’t have room for it.

The depth that the cork is pushed into the bottle should not change with different bottles when set, AFAIK, I always use the same bottle for all of the batch. The bottle sits on a spring loaded base that should bring the neck to the same height for different bottles. I would think the same with a 2 handled corker. It is not simple to adjust the depth the cork is pushed into the bottle. You have to adjust, test, adjust again etc. I set it the first time bottling and have adjusted it just once since.

 

[NinjaBear]

With the two handle corker you set for one bottle, it’s the same for every bottle. Switch to a different bottle and it will be too deep or too shallow with the cork sticking out the top.

 

[kh54s10]

With the two handle corker you set for one bottle, it’s the same for every bottle. Switch to a different bottle and it will be too deep or too shallow with the cork sticking out the top.

I see, I think. The 2 handled corker works on the same principal as a beer bottle capper, doesn't it. It grabs the bulge on the neck of the bottle and levers on that to push in the cork. So if the bulge is taller or shorter it will change how deep the cork is pushed in.

Since the floor corker doesn't grab this bulge but pushes against the whole bottle this doesn't factor into the equation.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Here the winters can be reasonable, maybe 18-26 degrees C in winter (depending on if heater is on) and summer im guessing 24*C - 32*C depending on if the aircon is on.

Im thinking this is too hot for long term storage, 1 or 2 year + storage in wine bottles. Is this temp range ok for us home brew wine makers or is a Wine Fridge a good idea

As the UK slips into autumn my sympathy for your predicament is somewhat limited but based on experience with commercial wine I'd worry more about temperature fluctuations than absolute temperature. Although high 20's C is definitely not desirable, it's the fluctuations that really stress a wine.

So would never argue with a wine fridge, but even a normal fridge with an Inkbird would work for the kind of medium-term storage you're talking about. (Lack of) humidity is the problem with such an arrangement so I wouldn't trust my Mouton-Rothschild to it but it should do medium-term.