Curating a wine collection that is unique to your tastes is one of the greatest joys of learning about and appreciating wine. However, selecting and purchasing wines is only one step in the process; they must also be stored. Wine may be appropriately stored for decades, increasing in value and quality over that time. But even the best wines in the world can be ruined by inadequate storage.
How to Store Red Wine Properly?
Here are some quick tricks for properly preserving wine:
- Keep wine in the proper temperature range. The temperature may be the most crucial element affecting the quality of wine that is being stored. Wine will deteriorate in temperatures that are either too warm or too cold. Although it differs from wine to wine, the best temperature for long- or short-term wine storage is approximately 55oF (13oC). Consult the maker for recommended serving temperatures for particular wines. No matter the variety of label, wine should never be stored above 68 °F (20 °C), which can hasten age and destroy volatile components, or below 25 °F (-4 °C), which can cause a wine to freeze.
- The cork can expand and contract due to temperature changes, which can cause the wine to leak out (or air to seep in) surrounding it. This is why it’s crucial to maintain your wine storage temperature as consistently as you can.
- Horizontally store wine bottles. Make sure to store your wine horizontally in a wine rack for bottles with corks. Because a dried-out cork can lead to seepage and early aging, keeping wine on its side helps maintain the cork moist, which is essential for long-term preservation. While horizontal storage is an effective approach to storing your wines for optimal space and simple access, screw-top wine bottles are not required to be kept on their sides.
- Shield wine from vibration and light. Keep your wine as dark as you can, whether you’re keeping it for months, weeks, or days. Direct sunlight’s UV rays can harm the flavours and aromas of wine. Additionally, you should keep alcohol away from vibrating devices like your audio system, exercise room, and washer and dryer. Wines can age well, but the delicate process can be disturbed by vibrations that dislodge sediments in the bottle.
- Keep wine at the right level of humidity. Extreme humidity levels in your wine cellar or storage space can potentially shorten the shelf life of your wine. Higher humidity can cause labels to peel off the bottles, making them harder to exhibit or sell. Lower humidity might cause your corks to dry up, leaving the wine vulnerable to oxygen impacts. The ideal humidity range for a wine cellar is between 60 and 68 percent.
- Keep wine in a wine fridge rather than a regular refrigerator. A wine refrigerator, often referred to as a wine cooler is a fantastic solution if you don’t have access to a location for wine storage that is continuously cool, dark, and moist.
- A wine fridge retains wine between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and 15 degrees Celsius) and at the right humidity level, unlike a regular refrigerator, which keeps food very cold and dry. (A nice refrigerator will include a champagne cooler setting.) Additionally, keeping your wine in a separate wine refrigerator helps avoid cross-contamination due to aromas from food. If price is an issue, keep in mind that wine can be an investment, in which case a nice wine freezer is a method to safeguard your investment.
- Pour Wine at the Correct Temperature. Give a stored bottle of wine enough time to warm up (or cool down) before serving it to other wine enthusiasts.
- This guarantees the full release of wine flavour and aroma. Between 58 to 65 °F (approximately 12-19 °C), or just below room temperature, is the ideal serving temperature for red wine. The age of the wine determines the specific temperature, with younger wines needing to be kept colder and older wines holding up better at 61-65 °F. Stronger tannic reds should be served at a higher temperature than lighter red wines, which can be as excellent as 55 F. While red wines must be served warm, white wines can and should be served cold. However, they shouldn’t be kept so cold that it mutes the scents. White wine should be cooled between 45 and 55 °F (8 and 12 °C).
- White sparkling and sweet white wines should be served at the cooler end of that range. Champagne needs to be done at a temperature of 38–45 °F (5-8 °C).
- Keep wine bottles that are open. Properly. Wine can keep after opening for three to five days when stored properly. Recorking a wine as soon as possible and tightly will help it keep its natural attributes while increasing its shelf life. Wine should be corked again by wrapping the cork in wax paper and sliding it back into place.
- The wax will facilitate the cork’s insertion and guarantee that no stray pieces fall into the bottle. A rubber wine stopper can make a tight seal if recorking is not an option, such as when the cork is broken or thrown. Finally, a wine vacuum pump is an upgrade option for corking, allowing you to remove air from an open bottle to create an almost airtight closure.
Name Some Different Types of Red Wine
Cabernet Sauvignon
Both the name of the red wine varietal made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape and the grape itself are used to make red wines, and it is one of the most popular red wine varieties in the country. The wines made from cabs are often large, full-bodied, and tannic, and they can age for many years. Both single-varietal wines and wine blends, such as French Bordeaux blends, American Meritage blends, and Italian super Tuscan blends, contain Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon can also be found in wines like Chianti and Priorat in smaller quantities.
Merlot
Like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot refers to both the single-varietal wines derived from the red wine grape and the vine itself. These moderately tannic wines are frequently mixed with other grapes to give finished red wines softness and depth because they are less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon. Meritage, Bordeaux, super Tuscans, Priorat, and different well-known wine mixes may contain Merlot, among others.
Pinot Noir
The red wine grape and varietal, known as Pinot Noir, gained popularity in French Burgundy wines. It is also planted and made in the United States. In addition to Sonoma County and Napa Valley, the Willamette Valley in Oregon is skilled at crafting gorgeous and potent Pinot Noir wines.
It’s interesting to note that Pinot Noir is one of the grapes used to make sparkling wines and Champagne. Pinots often have a gentle tannic structure and a mild to light body. Although it may occasionally be combined with a tiny proportion of the Gamay grape in Burgundy (Bourgogne) wines, Pinot Noir is not frequently mixed with other grapes. Pinot Noir wines are marketed as Spätburgunder and Frühburgunder in Germany.
Syrah (Shiraz)
Syrah is a grape that can take on a variety of flavors depending on the terroir and growing environment. Its flavors are jammy, fruity, and peppery. It is a robust single varietal wine that is also present in many international blends. Wines containing Syrah are made in Chile, Australia, California, Washington State, the Rhône region of France, and single and mixed varietals from these countries. For instance, well-known Syrah blends include French wines from the Côtes du Rhône, Hermitage, and Côte-Rôtie regions as well as Australian and American GSM (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre) blends. It might also be used with great Tuscan wines from Italy.
What is the Difference Between Red Wine and White Wine?
Made with Different Grapes
Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and other red grapes make red wines, whereas white grapes are used to make white wines (Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, etc.). But what’s noteworthy is that almost all of the wines we can buy today were first produced from a single species of grape called Vitis vinifera. According to ampelographers, the original Vitis vinifera grapes were black (red wine grapes, for example), and the first white grapes resulted from a spontaneous mutation.
For instance, the DNA of the grape varieties Pinot Noir (black), Pinot Gris (pinkish-gray), and Pinot Blanc (white) are the same!
Made with Different Parts of Grapes
Different procedures are utilized to manufacture red wine instead of white wine when the grapes are harvested and taken to the cellar for winemaking. The fact that red wines ferment with grape skins and seeds while white wines do not is one of the most significant distinctions. This is so because the grapes’ skins and roots give red wine its full color.
This isn’t always the case, and the wines that result taste considerably differently in those few instances. For instance, a variety of Champagne called “Blanc de Noirs” or “white of blacks” is produced using techniques similar to those used to make white wine and has the appearance of white wine. Pinot d’Alsace, or White Pinot Noir, is another illustration of this.
White grapes are fermented with the skins and seeds of the white grapes in a unique way for white wines. The wines produced using this method are known as “Orange Wines,” They contain tannin and a taste comparable to that of red wines. The wines are unique, and this approach is still relatively uncommon!
Made Using Various Winemaking Techniques
White wines are adored for their zingy acidity, flowery smells, and fresh fruit notes, while red wines are loved for their soft, rich, and velvety tastes. Winemakers use two very different winemaking techniques to get these effects. The oxidation process, which causes the wines to lose their floral and fruit notes in favor of rich, nutty flavors and more smoothness, is the main difference between the productiWinemakers use winemakers use oak barrels to increase the amount of oxygen since they breathe and allow the wine to do so. Wines retain their fruitiness and floral tastes because winemakers use stainless steel tanks to limit oxygen exposure.
What are the Health Benefits of Red Wine?
A source of Antioxidants
You should be pretty knowledgeable about wine before ingesting a red wine. What are its health benefits and drawbacks, given that it is filled with potent antioxidants. Antioxidants like resveratrol, epicatechin, catechin, and proanthocyanidins are more abundant in darker grapes. You’re mostly kept healthy by resveratrol and proanthocyanidins out of this group.
Reduces Harmful Cholesterol
Red wine has a reputation for lowering harmful cholesterol in the body. A study found that the high-fiber Tempranillo red gd manufactures some types of dangerous cholesterol levels and toxic cholesterol levels.
Maintains Heart health
It controls cholesterol levels and safeguards the health of the heart as well. Red wine contains a particular class of antioxidants called polyphenols that keep the blood arteries flexible and avoid unintended clotting. But keep in mind that excessive drinking harms the heart.
Controls Blood Sugar
The natural substance resveratrol, found in grape skin, helps people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. According to the study, those who took resveratrol supplements containing 250 mg once daily for three months had lower blood glucose levels than those who did not. Additionally, resveratrol regulates systolic blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Conclusion
Whether you’re storing red wine in your garage or storage shed, you should know a few things about storing wine. Please keep it away from sudden temperature fluctuations and out of reach of loud household devices. Aim to maintain a constant humidity level. Keeping your wine at its ideal humidity level is vital to preserving its flavor and freshness. Follow these tips for optimal storage. Keeping your wine fresh is a breeze once you’ve learned how to store red wine properly.
