I’m hoping someone can help me here. I just recently acquired two nice bottles of wine from a relative and I would like to save them for a special occasion (maybe my retirement from my current job in 6 years). I did some research on storing wine in a cellar. My basement is underground and I’m unable to fix it up, but I think a certain corner might be good for storing wine. I have a small rack set up and have the bottles there. Most literature I read says to keep your wine stored at a constant temperature around 55 degrees F. I’ve been monitoring the temp where I have the wine now, and it averages around 44 degrees now (winter here in Northeast Pennsylvania) and I recorded temps from 38 to 46 f so far. I don’t know how the summer will affect the temp, but I know it stays somewhat cool down there. Do you think my wine is safe there? It’s really the only place to keep it right now and I would like to see it age nicely. I kind of stumbled into wine collecting and found that I like it and would like to add more bottles to my collection. Thanks in advance.
Also, I am really new to this. If anyone has any suggestions on what kind of wine to store, please let me know. Im willing to spend around $30.00 per bottle.
it depends on what the wine is that you are storing. A tight young bordeaux will be fine as long as the temp doesn't get into the upper 70s or 80s. A delicate older pinot might get killed in those temp swings. What you need is to maintain a solid temperature anything below 70 is fine for your timeframe. A couple of degrees movement over the course of a day is fine - you do not want 10 degree swings.
Personally - I'd see if my LWS has any 05 bordeaux left and try to snag a bottle of two - if not - then look at a Cabernet. Both those should last 5-7 years in decent conditions, but not ideal conditions.
The biggest concern isn't necessarily that your wine is getting down into the upper 30s or could get up above 50, it's the risk of rapid temerature changes. As long as there are no intra-day swings of more than a few degrees, you should be fine. However, if your basement went from 44 at night to 65 during the day and back down, you'd better consider storing it elsewhere. If it's a gradual increase and decrease with seasons that, during any given day and night, stays pretty constant, you're okay.
Do you have any friends with cellars that would store it for you? Two bottles doesn't take up much space.
Cheers!
Posts: 1647 | Location: Seattle, WA, USA | Registered: Mar 22, 2004
If your basement stays relatively cool in the summer, you could just give these longer term wines some insulation to damped the temp. fluctuations. Like keep them in a styro shipper. Use the rack for shorter term wines.
The cold temperatures will increase the likelihood of tartrate crystal formation. These are harmless.
Consider a wine cooler unit. Not sure if you need one, that's your judgment call.
Posts: 1118 | Location: Mountain View, CA | Registered: Oct 18, 2001
