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Question # 1: How do I know
if a certain wine will age well in my cellar?
First of all, make sure
your cellar area is suitable for aging wine. It's best to have an
environment with a consistent temperature, somewhere around 55-57
degrees Fahrenheit and a humidity level of 50-75%. These are ideal
conditions for aging wine. Now, as far as the type of wine, I guess
you're referring to the variety of grape in the wine. There are many
wine-aging charts available on the internet, but I'll give you a basic
one:
For aging a specific wine, you
could also contact the winery that produced the wine. They should be
quite helpful.
Question #2: Which corks work
best in a wine bottle- real cork or synthetic cork?
This is an excellent question and we will be featuring this topic
on next month's website.
Question #3: I'm thinking of
building a wine cellar in my basement. Do I really need a cooling
system for the wine cellar?
I get asked this question all the time. If you are building a wine
cellar and are serious about aging wines, I would recommend a cooling
system. Cooling systems ensure consistency in temperature and in many
cases, will control the room humidity as well. There are natural
environments, like caves and passive cellars that are well-suited for
aging wines. France has been doing it for centuries. But in most
cases, basements fluctuate in temperature and humidity and that can
prove detrimental to your $200.00 bottles of Bordeaux. I always say
"If you're going to invest in a wine cellar and all the wine that
goes in it, do it right!" |
