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The Ideal Wine Storage Temperature
The ideal wine cellar temperature is between 55ºF
and 58ºF (13ºC–15ºC). However, any temperature between 40º–65ºF
(5º–18ºC) will suffice as long as it remains constant.
The degree and the speed of the temperature
change are critical. A gradual change of a few degrees between
summer and winter won't matter. The same change each day will harm
your wines by ageing them too rapidly.
The most important rule when storing wine is to
avoid large temperature changes or fluctuations. You'll notice
damage of this nature straight away from the sticky deposit that
often forms around the capsule. Over time the continual expansion
and contraction of the wine will damage the 'integrity' of the cork.
It's like having the cork pulled in and out again every day. When
this happens, minute quantities of wine may be pushed out along the
edge of the cork (between the cork and the bottle neck) allowing air
to seep back in. Once the air is in contact with your wine the
irreversible process of oxidation begins and your wine is ruined.
Wine cellar
temperature should be between
55º and 58ºF when the wine will age slowly, enabling it to fully
develop. Higher temperatures will age wine more rapidly and cooler
temperatures will slow down the ageing process. Irreversible damage
will be done if your wine is kept at a temperature above 82ºF for
even a month.
At 55°F wines will age slowly and develop great
complexity and you will never have to worry about them.
Every wine you buy should be placed in
your cellar. Even if you are planning on opening the wine shortly
after purchase it will benefit from resting to recover from the
shock of traveling.
Before any bottle makes it into your
cellar you need to consider the treatment it received before you
acquired it.
Every wine lover knows that heat damages
wine but how many of us take care to protect our wine at every
stage? For example, you buy wine at a shop or winery, but leave it
in your hot car all afternoon. You get it home and place it in the
ideal wine cellar temperature, but by then you may have already
cooked it. Remember that high temperatures can result in undesirable
chemical reactions that would not normally take place.
To find out more about the ideal
temperature to store wine and how to build your own home wine room I
strongly suggest you grab your own copy of Chris Miley's "How To
Build Your Own Wine Cellar".
Click Here To See
What Else Is Covered In This Instantly Downloadble Guide To Building
A Home Wine Cellar
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