Wine Storage Solutions At Your Fingertips
Are you an oenophile? If you even know what the word means, the chances are that you are indeed a lover of wine. Wine is an almost mystical beverage that came into being simply because yeast is almost everywhere, and when it landed in grape juice or almost any other sweet liquid, it would cause fermentation.
Ancient people found that yeast did not ruin grape juice but changed it into a completely different drink with a kick, because the fermentation changed the sugar into alcohol. Ancient people did not see this a a bad thing so they began to make juices, mostly grape juice, into wines.
There was a time when wine storage solutions were not much thought about. They used crocks and ewers to store their wine then. With few ways to control the temperature or humidity, no one could ever be certain that the storage of wine would serve to help it to reach the peak of full taste. It was discovered that caves and cellars enhanced the wine, and that is how the first wine cellars started.
Wine storage solutions need to provide a variety of features in order to meet the various needs of different wine lovers and homes. For people who store modest wines and whose homes have moderate temperatures, open wine racks provide a good solution. The environment in these homes is friendly to the typical wine and these wine racks will provide the storage necessary for most tastes.
Wine storage coolers can be used by wine lovers who wish to protect their wine when it's at its peak. Wine storage comes as small as tiny one bottle coolers and as large as entire refrigerated rooms. The choice of wine storage solutions rests on a number of things: What is the value of the wine to be stored? Are the owners exacting and precise about their wine storage or a little less particular? What can the household afford to spend for wine storage?
It is a meticulous task to keep wine in top condition and keep it aging appropriately. There is little room for temperature variations. They only range from no lower than 40 degrees and no higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit, the more consistent the temperature the better. There is only one recommended allowance for change each year also at least fifty percent humidity should be maintained. Wines can also be ruined by light and so the cooler should be kept light tight and out of direct sunlight.
Wine storage solutions must also store wine bottles at the proper angle, and it is preferred that they be completely horizontal, lying on their sides. An angle of up to a maximum of 45 degrees is tolerable, but less than 25 degrees is much better. Coolers can just be units to stack loose bottles, but these are hard to use and racks are better. There should be spaces for unusual shapes and sizes of wine bottles if possible. If the unit will be visible, the display should also be attractive.
Wine storage coolers work to protect wine and keep it at its best possible quality. If you are a serious wine lover you may want to purchase one in order to maintain more precise conditions for your wine. The sizes of these storage coolers vary and can be as large as a room sized refrigerator chamber, or small enough to hold only one bottle. Choosing the best wine storage solutions for your household will depend on what is being stored, the budget, and preferred taste. Coolers can just be units to stack loose bottles, but these are hard to use and wine racks are better.
Published November 29th, 2007
Filed in Home