Wine is easily one of the world’s most common and most enjoyable alcoholic beverages. It is produced in vast numbers across the globe. In fact, the top 10 wine producing countries in the world produce over 20 million tons of wine each year.
Wine has a vast numbers of uses and applications. It is an integral part of the cultures of many countries as a beverage, but it also has many uses that are not as widely known. It is also used widely in cooking as a flavor agent, making its way into stocks and braising to lend a sweet flavor to otherwise bland dishes. Wine also has a number of religious and symbolic uses.
Because of wine’s vast number of uses, anyone who routinely uses or collects wine should be familiar with certain plans for wine storage. Proper planning is essential if one is to enjoy wine to its fullest capacity.
Wine is a naturally made product, and is therefore just as vulnerable to spoiling as any other natural product. Therefore, wine storage plans must be thoroughly thought out before one begins collecting wine. Wine cellars are certainly the best option for wine storage, but not everyone has access to one. Luckily, there are a number of plans for storing wine that even the average consumer can follow.
Temperature
It goes without saying that temperature is the most important factor to consider when making plans for wine storage. Wine does best at intermediate temperatures: temperatures that are too hot or too cold will damage the wine or cause it to spoil. Under the proper conditions, wine is able to last for an extremely long time. Many wines can be enjoyed several years after they have been purchased.
There are many kinds of wine, though, so it is important to be familiar with the storage and serving temperatures of each. Port is best kept at temperatures around 65 degrees, while other wines such as Chardonnay and Spumanti do better at temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees.
If you don’t happen to be familiar with the specific storage temperatures for the wine you own, just remember this important rule of thumb: the majority of wine will do well between temperatures of 40 degrees and 65 degrees. But most importantly, be sure to keep the temperature constant. Fluctuating temperatures are not good for wine. Also, make sure your plans for wine storage incorporate dry and dark storage locations.
Tags: wine, wine cellarRelated posts
Posted on March 25th, 2008 by Robert
Filed under: wine rack
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