EN
22
Storing your wines
Type of wine
Red wine
White wine
Sparkling wines/
champagne
Rose wine
Vintage wine
• Temperature stability is the most important factor when it comes to storing wine.
• Exposure to light, vibrations or fluctuations in temperature and humidity can all
cause wine to spoil. When properly stored, wines not only maintain their quality but
many will actually improve in aroma, flavour and complexity as they mature.
• Wines kept at a higher temperature will age faster. Wine that is exposed to
temperatures that are greater than 22°C (72°F) will suffer from poorer flavour and
aroma.
• If wine is kept at too low a temperature, this can result in the development of harmful
deposits. A humidity of 60%~70% is ideal for keeping corks from shrinking.
• After a bottle of wine has been opened, the wine comes into contact with air. So it
is best to store the remain- der of the bottle upright, to minimize the surface area of
the wine that is coming into contact with the air.
• Once opened, wine will remain in a drinkable condition for two days for delicate
whites or three days for rich reds, as long as the bottle as been resealed. You
should make sure that the seal is firm by checking the stopper.
• Special stoppers that keep wine sparking and Champagne bubbling for one or two
days after opening, can be bought at most good wine shops.
• When stored correctly, white wines can keep well for up to two years. Full bodied
reds will age well for ten years and dessert wines will age well for up to twenty
years.
• When you buy a bottle of wine, you should transfer it to a suitable storage location
immediately (if you are not going to store it in your wine cooler).
• Cheaper bottles of wine will not age as well as more expensive ones.
• To make the most of the bouquet and taste of your wine, never fill more than half
a glass at a time. It will also help if the shape of your wine glass is appropriate
for your wine. The size and shape of your wine glass's bowl will determine the
intensity and complexity of the bouquet. The stem should be long enough to allow
you to avoid hand contact with the bowl of the glass and should be tulip-shaped or
tapered at the top.
Temperature °C
15.5 – 22 °C
10 - 15 °C
7.2 – 9.5 °C
9.5 – 10.5 °C
13 °C
Temperature °F
59.9 – 72 °F
50 – 59 °F
45 – 49.1 °F
49.1 – 50.9 °F
55 °F