Appreciating to drink a rare and fine wine can give you the desire to start creating your own wine-cellar. Collecting wine can be a very pleasant hobby. Especially when you seek the bottle of wine which is different from the others.
If you wish to start a wine collection, you will have to spend a little more money than you think. Indeed, wine collecting is expensive. The few councils exempted below will help you to start your own wine-cellar.
The space
First thing to do is to find a place where you will place your wine-cellar. You can store it in your house but you will have to find the good place: sufficient space and ideal temperature (50 up to 65°F).
You must also plan which type of wine you will include in your wine-cellar. So many options are available that it is sometimes difficult to choose.
In order to better prepare your new wine bottles storage, you will test some various types of wine. You will learn much by yourself ; for example: identify wine tastes. As you probably already know, there are many differences between wines coming from great vintages and wines coming from new or immediately processed wine and that some wines can age, others cannot.
If you have just started a wine-collecting or built a wine-cellar, you should avoid buying your wine in great quantities as long as you are not sure about the type of wine that you plan to add to your cellar.
Wine Culture
Participate in purses and tasting events. In these places, you can meet other persons who are passionate by wine collecting and who will give you the best addresses and suppliers. You will also learn more about the different brands and their prices.
You can also learn a lot by surfing on the Internet and searching for information about wine; by subscribing to some informative newsletters ; by buying some books and read them in order to familiarize with your new hobby.
Supplier
You will also have to choose a good supplier.
While visiting your wine supplier, tell him that you are collecting wine bottles ; this person will inform you if the wine that you want to buy can age in a cellar or not.
Also ask your supplier if the wines you are collecting are available in his inventory.
If you hope to collect wines from other areas, he may be able to give you contact information for finding the wines you are interested in.
Wine suppliers information and addresses are available online.
Wine from other Countries
If you plan to collect wine coming from other countries, your supplier will be able to give you the right addresses. Also, you can make a search on Google in order to find the best foreign wine supplier or mail directly the vine-grower or even the castle where the wine is bottled.
A French proverb said: “It is while forging that one becomes blacksmith”. Perhaps you will realize that collecting wine becomes a passion and that you want to start your own wine selling business. When you will have bought a sufficient quantity of rare wine bottles, you will be able to start your new business and sell your greatest bottles
Jennifer
Have you ever wondered where the term “wino” came from? It is an offensive term that dates back to the Victorian Era to refer to a poor drunkard. Wine was cheap and considered a poor mans drink; hence, wino referring to a drunk poor homeless man. Whether this origin is true or not, wine has somehow climbed up the prosperity ladder. In the last decade, wine has become so trendy that wine connoisseurs are standard at most fine restaurants. Furthermore, wine is not just a drink to drown your sorrows, wine also is an investment. To protect ones investment, wine storage has become big business and it is used by wine many enthusiasts.
Wine storage is used by restaurateurs, wine connoisseurs, investors, and anyone who enjoys a good bottle of wine. Restaurants buy wine by the bulk and need wine storage for their wine surplus. Since most restaurants don’t have storage space or proper wine storage facilities, restaurateurs use wine storage at a self storage business for wine preservation. Connoisseurs know how to appreciate a good bottle of wine. As experts, they feel the need to care for a good bottle of wine like a mechanic takes care of his car. To preserve the wine’s bouquet and the wine’s body, wine connoisseurs recommend wine storage. Everyone knows that wine gets better with age, so does the value of some wines. Wine investors know this. Also, they know how to protect their investment by using wine storage. Like baseball cards, if you don’t preserve your wine collection well, it will lose its value. Wine storage is like sleeves for baseball cards. Lastly, you don’t have to be a wine guru to use wine storage . Wine storage is available to anyone with a large or small wine collection. You might be planning a party and need wine storage as a temporary place to hold your wine bottles. In fact, a wine layperson can order wine and have it delivered to the wine storage business.
So what is the difference between wine storage and storing wine at home? Wine storage is designed specifically for wine. Each renters wine storage unit is individually locked in private vaults. Wine storage is climate controlled at 55 degrees Fahrenheit with 60 percent humidity and low light exposure. These are the perfect condition that any wine guru will recommend. Unlike Vodka and whisky, wine is a perishable good. There is insufficient alcohol in wine to keep it well preserved.
It’s common knowledge, like birds fly, that wine gets better with age. But not all birds fly, and not all wine gets better with age; especially, if wine storage is not properly prepared. Also, like all living creatures, wine reaches a point maturity point; then it starts to deteriorate. But if you properly take care of your wine like the human body, it will last much longer. If you bought a bottle of Chteau La Mondotte Saint-Emilion 1996, you probably spent around $608. If you own a bottle of Dom. Romane Conti 1997 you spent over $1,540. That is a lot of money to spend for a quick buzz. But that’s not the reason why you spent that much, is it? Protect your investment and use a wine storage unit near your.
Wine racks and storage options come in many different styles and purchasing budgets. Whether you are an avid wine aficionado, an aficionado in the making, a wine hobbyist, or someone who wishes to protect valuable vintages from prying eyes or place a cherished wine collection of sophistication and refinement on exhibit — the where and how’s of wine storage and wine rack placement is an issue.
It’s important to have an attractive and durable wine rack storage system. It is a given that anyone interested in having a growing wine collection would not want to do so behind a kitchen cabinet.
Most oenophiles (a disciplined devotion to wine, with strict traditions of consumption and appreciation, simply put, a lover of wine) long for a cellar of stocked wine racks, and since digging out a cave in most instances for a wine cellar is impractical and exorbitantly expensive, stand alone wine rack options in a good environment is a good place to start. You do not have to live over an arching grotto, or have the budget of an eighteenth century land baron, to cellar wine. You just have to understand the basics of wine storage pertaining to temperature, humidity and light to do it right.
An important factor with wines is the place where you will store the bottles to age.
Few environments are as potentially destructive to wine as the home. Too much humidity causes mold and damages the labels. This is also why cellars are often tiled rather than carpeted, as carpeting holds moisture facilitating mold. Humidity as high as 70 percent is desirable so corks don’t dry out. When allowed to dry out, corks shrink slightly allowing air into the bottles and oxidizing of the wine occurs. This is also why the wine racks store bottles on their sides: the wine keeps the cork wet, and the oxygen out.
Darkness is preferable, even though most wine is bottled in colored glass to protect it against most light damage. The proper storage temperature of 50-60F enables wine to age slowly to its full complexity. Excess heat cooks off its finer characteristics, while too much chill retards its maturation.
Wine racks are available in a wide assortment of materials, sizes and styles to suit any situation or decor for both home and commercial use: wood, metals like wrought iron and stainless steel, wire, wall mounted or hanging as well as attractive wine furniture pieces to complement the home, restaurant, or business.
Low-cost wine racks can be bought prefabricated or in do-it-yourself assembly kits.
Wine racks made of stainless steel and wire grids are less expensive. These decorative units can have a place for short term storage and display. If you are in the business to sell wine, be sure to showcase your collection with the best retail wine racking possible to help you market and sell more.
The warmth of wood is a popular choice for wine racks to display and store your fine wines. Softwoods such as Pine and Douglas Fir are more prone to warping but usually do not pose a problem if obtained from a good supplier using a premium grade who will stand behind the wine racks’ integrity, making these good, low-cost options, mainly because they’re easier to work with, and lighter to ship than hardwoods.
Distinctive wine racks also come in Maple and Red Oak. However, the best are made from more expensive rainforest woods, such as Californian Redwood. Redwood wine racks absorb moisture with little warping.
The wine rack should be in a cool, dark area of the house, such as the basement, cold storage room or closet. The basement is often the best place in the house for your wine since concrete heats up and cools down slowly. But, be aware that by the end of each season, accumulated heat or cold in the concrete can still make the conditions less than ideal for long-term wine storage.
It’s important to ensure that the room is dark, properly insulated to control the temperature and free from sources of vibration such as furnaces or fridges. Avoid leaving food, cardboard boxes or paint in the cellar. The chemicals in these materials break down over time and it’s possible their odors can seep into the wine through the cork.
Don’t have a full-sized room available to devote to a wine cellar? You can transform a closet or pantry into a customized mini wine cellar - complete with cooling unit and cellar door should you choose.
Buying a wine fridge suits anyone who has limited space.
A wine fridge is temperature and humidity controlled. The kitchen fridge is too cold and isn’t humid enough for wine long term. Wine fridges come in half, full and double sizes, as well as large walk-in style vaults.
Enjoying wine is about celebrating, relaxing, enjoying conviviality and all that it encompasses — taste, history, science, culture, friendship and intimacy. So reach for that special bottle from the wine rack and enjoy!
Grace
Perfect Pairings
July 14, 2007 – as published in the Beacon News and Naperville Sun
By Bill Garlough
What started my interest in wines some 20-plus years ago were several memorable meals where the wine was the star. While the nuances of the food-wine pairings were certainly evident, the wine moved me.
My recent moving experience was more literal as my wife and I just completed our household move. Along with the furniture, cookware, foodstuffs and countless boxes was my personal wine collection. It’s amazing how a collection can build if, during your travels, your souvenir from a trip is a couple bottles of wine. I have several hundred bottles of wine on hand as it is fun to experience the varied wines of the world and share the experience with friends over dinner.
Back in the day
As far back as 4000 BC, wine has been transported from wine producing regions to other markets, in the form of early trade. The evolution of shipping containers went from wine skins to amphora terra cotta jars to large glass bottles and eventually to large wooden casks. Wooden casks were advantageous as they could store wine for longer periods of time. Bulk wine had its drawbacks, as unscrupulous merchants substituted inferior wine or even added water to increase profits. Baron Phillipe de Rothschild is credited with bottling wine (in the current size bottle) on premise to control quality and protect the winery’s good name.
Today, wine is exported in cases with glass bottles in refrigerated containers. Domestically, wine is shipped from the winery to the consumer in sturdy corrugated boxes, with the wine housed in Styrofoam inserts. Depending on the nation’s temperature, arrangements can be made for delivery in either two- or four-day increments via UPS or other common carriers.
One of the considerations for a wine collection is that wine is a living beverage that will have its peak and begin to deteriorate over time. White wines tend to be consumed young while reds, with more tannins, can last longer. However, improperly stored wine will speed up the aging process, and negatively affect the flavor of the wine.
Environment is key
Important considerations for properly storing wine include:
Darkness: Store wine out of direct sunlight. Excessive light breaks down molecules, and the wine loses flavor.
Temperature: Store wines between 50 and 60 degrees. While colder temperatures slow down the aging process, this also allows the wine to age properly. Higher temperatures (70 to 80 degrees) cause premature aging.
Humidity: The ideal humidity level is between 60 to 80 percent. A low humidity level dries out the cork, which affects the seal. Oxidation of wine can occur if the cork loses its seal.
Your home’s basement offers the best solution to these storage considerations, as it is typically dark, offers a cool, consistent temperature and tends to have a higher humidity level than the rest of the house. If you do not have a basement, a dark closet on the first floor would be your best bet.
The biggest challenge in moving your wine collection or properly storing it is temperature stability. When transporting wine, it is best to make direct trips with wine and place it in a temperature and (ideally) humidity-controlled environment as soon as possible.
Fluctuations in temperature affect the cork’s seal, as it is the give point. When wine warms up, the wine and air in the bottle expands and can trigger the cork to move. When wine is in a colder environment, the wine and air contract inside the bottle, drawing air into the bottle. As we know, oxidation leads to accelerated aging and quality loss.
Lastly, when wine is transported, it should be allowed to settle for three to seven days before consumption.
Please consider these practical tips when you purchase and transport your wine. Try not to leave it in a hot car or moving van as it will affect the flavor and its ability to age long term
While my collection was moved and returned to my wine cabinet in only 24 hours, it still went from 58 degrees to over 70 degrees. While care was taken, time will tell on my moving experience.
For more from Bill Garlough’s Perfect Pairings visit My Chef.
Kira
