hi i'm new here... sorry if this is not this place to ask this question, but here goes.
i've been fortunate enough to store all my wine for the past few years in my apartment in san francisco. but now we're moving across the bay to alameda (new dad too )
so, how should we move all this wine? we've got about 100 bottles... all of them are from 1994 to the present, and most of them are $40+ in cost/value so i don't wanna screw them up.
thanks!
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If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot.
Posts: 22 | Location: san francisco | Registered: Jul 31, 2006
btw.. the other thing i'm considering is a proper temperature controlled cabinet, but i'm not to keen on spending $2000 for it atm.
san francisco spoiled us being able to use the "california cooler" used as a wine cellar
its not much warmer in alameda, but our apt in SF was tucked in the bottom of a building so it never got above 65F in the "cellar"...
of course the heat wave last weak kinda makes me nervous.. it might have hit 80F in there and we have no AC. that was the hottest i recall in the apt in the last 5 years
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If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot.
Posts: 22 | Location: san francisco | Registered: Jul 31, 2006
You will need to get wine cases like the ones they use to ship wines from wineries to retailers. Some wine shops might give you some boxes if you are a good customer, others might sell them if you want a lot of them. They also make special wine boxes with corrugated cardboard dividers that are like the commercial boxes but tend to be a little sturdier. They sell those for about 3 dollars a piece, and can be bought at a lot of those off-site professional wine storage places (do an internet search or check the yellow pages). You don't need to do anything special to move them, it does'nt really matter if they are upright or on their side since they will only be in transport for an hour. When you get to your new home, make sure the bottles are on their side. The boxes actually make a good storage container since it keeps light out, and has a mild insulating quality. If you plan to keep wines for more than a few years, you may want to look into a refridgerated wine cabinet, especially with summers like this one. Those 90 degree days will be bad for your vino if you don't have your AC on in the daytime.
Those wine boxes they use to ship wine from internet wine merchants to consumers with the styrofoam inserts also work well, but the boxes are big and bulky, and require a larger space than the regular boxes with cardboard dividers. I would recommend taping up the top and the bottom of the boxes with packing tape.
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www.VinoCritic.Com
Posts: 999 | Location: Southern California | Registered: Mar 01, 2006
I just moved my cellar of some 650+ bottles. Fortunately the move was only a few miles. As Wine Joe indicated, get some of the boxes that the wineries use to ship their wines to the retailer. These keep the bottles snug, flat on their sides and are compact and stack nicely.
Keep in mind that not all boxes will hold all types of wine. In particular, I found boxes that were made to ship Burgundy a little challenging with taller high shouldered bottles.
Make sure you borrow a hand truck, as even a couple cases of wine are a formidable weight. I also had the benefit of a large sport utility with the seats removed and chilly rear A/C. Made a superior wine moving van! Good luck!
PH
Posts: 9625 | Location: Maryland, USA (DC suburbs) | Registered: Nov 22, 2003
I second Wine Joe and Purplehaze's recommendations. I have moved my wine a few times in the last few years and used the same method. I have 150+ bottles that was easily moved in 15 or so boxes. My local wine store that I go to weekly gave me the boxes for free. I would suggest start collecting boxes as soon as you can as some wine stores can't give you all 15 boxes at once as they have to have some for their other customers who need them.
I would also recommend not putting all of your gems in one box. Distribute them evenly so if something does happen, you won't lose all of the important ones.
Move the wine yourself even if you have movers. They don't give a crap about your stuff and even if they have insurance to cover your wine, the older bottles would be hard to replace.
... all of them are from 1994 to the present, and most of them are $40+ in cost/value so i don't wanna screw them up.
If you are storing 100+ bottles of wine in a closet with no temperature control, 65 is too warm, you have probably already "screwed them up".
-------------------- "One may dislike carrots, spinach, beetroot, or the skin on hot milk. But not wine. It is like hating the air that one breathes, since each is equally indispensable."
Marcel Ayme`
Posts: 6922 | Location: The Left Coast | Registered: Dec 01, 2001
I would also recommend not putting all of your gems in one box. Distribute them evenly so if something does happen, you won't lose all of the important ones
Go HOKIES!!!
Posts: 4865 | Location: North Plainfield, NJ | Registered: Oct 24, 2001
Originally posted by mwagner7700: Bella, this is an excellent idea...
quote:
I would also recommend not putting all of your gems in one box. Distribute them evenly so if something does happen, you won't lose all of the important ones
Actually, I did exactly the opposite. I put my gems all together. Those boxes got hand walked in and out when I was fresh, sober and focused.
PH
Posts: 9625 | Location: Maryland, USA (DC suburbs) | Registered: Nov 22, 2003
... all of them are from 1994 to the present, and most of them are $40+ in cost/value so i don't wanna screw them up.
If you are storing 100+ bottles of wine in a closet with no temperature control, 65 is too warm, you have probably already "screwed them up".
not sure if this will make a difference. actually, most of them are 1997/1998 to the present. we only have one 1994 vintage. ... but now i'm worried about all of them :|
we are simply amature wine collectors. in fact we really don't "collect"... we're wine club members at Mondavi and get the shipments.
basically, we just store wine because we don't when the best time to drink them is. only yesterday did i find out about cellartracker.com
we've tried to get smart about our wines, but it's been hard to find information in the past
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If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot.
Posts: 22 | Location: san francisco | Registered: Jul 31, 2006
not sure if this will make a difference. actually, most of them are 1997/1998 to the present. we only have one 1994 vintage. ... but now i'm worried about all of them :|
Maybe you're not sure. I am.
I would never store any wines in a non controlled environment. A passive cellar is the absoulute least precaution you should take. If you have 100 bottles of wine at $40 plus for each of them, you have a lot of money sitting in a closet.
-------------------- "One may dislike carrots, spinach, beetroot, or the skin on hot milk. But not wine. It is like hating the air that one breathes, since each is equally indispensable."
Marcel Ayme`
Posts: 6922 | Location: The Left Coast | Registered: Dec 01, 2001
Don't let GA scare you too badly. At worst (and this assumes the wines haven't seen any temperatures much north of 65°) you may have accelerated the maturing process of these wines a little.
This site also can provide some good advice on drinking windows not only by using the tasting note section, but by reading the pros' reviews and simply asking questions!
Cellartracker is a GREAT resource for notes and organizing your cellar. Good luck with the move!
PH
Posts: 9625 | Location: Maryland, USA (DC suburbs) | Registered: Nov 22, 2003
should we even bother storing these at this point, or is it time to start drinking these off?
dinner party anyone? lol
either way, a proper temp controlled cabinet is on the near horizon for us. i'm trying to research those now. i'm thinking about a 183 or 283 eurocave or something like that (that price stings.. i didn't know they were near $4000) ...
maybe i'll build one myself for fun
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If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot.
Posts: 22 | Location: san francisco | Registered: Jul 31, 2006
Here's another thought on refrigerated wine cabinets - the Vintage Keeper 250 Plus Wine Cellar. Available from www.wineenthusiast.com (listed under budget cellars). List price is $1,300 + delivery cost. I waited for a deal and was able to score it for $1,100 total. I've had mine for 3 years and have not had any issues. Only drawbacks I've seen: it's large, so it may take up too much space in an apartment; and some assembly is required (but that only took a couple of hours). At least another alternative to consider ...
In my unending quest to keep people from getting cellars that are too small the Vintage Keeper 500 is readily available for around $1500 plus shipping. Once you get a wine cabinet, there is an almost uncontrollable need to fill the damned thing! This will keep you from having to buy another one in a year or so......
PH
Posts: 9625 | Location: Maryland, USA (DC suburbs) | Registered: Nov 22, 2003
vintage keeper might work out. we've got plenty of space where we are moving. i'll probably store this in the garage.
my concern is that this is really just a temporary solution until we stop renting. it would be ideal to get something that could become a part of a more permanent solution down the road
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If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot.
Posts: 22 | Location: san francisco | Registered: Jul 31, 2006
good to know! and thanks again for the suggestions from everyone.
why didn't i find this forum years ago!? haha
ps - bummer on the VK timing from wineenthusiast.com ... "Due to production delays with the Vintage Keeper manufacturer, this item is not available until December 2006. We apologize for any inconvenience. " doh!
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If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot.
Posts: 22 | Location: san francisco | Registered: Jul 31, 2006
Relax The styrofoam shipping boxes should be fine for the short 30 miles from San Fran to Alameda, Wines from Napa have to ship sometime thousands of miles inside very hot trucks all over the country without problems in those kinds of boxes. That short time higher temperature exposure in the move should NOT hurt the wine Any LONG- term storage at higher temperatures will be bad for the wine.Al
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Doctor Al,
Posts: 112 | Location: Modesto, CA | Registered: Oct 18, 2001
leftheaded Member Posted Aug 01, 2006 01:10 PM should we even bother storing these at this point, or is it time to start drinking these off?
dinner party anyone? lol
either way, a proper temp controlled cabinet is on the near horizon for us. i'm trying to research those now. i'm thinking about a 183 or 283 eurocave or something like that (that price stings.. i didn't know they were near $4000) ...
maybe i'll build one myself for fun
Here's a suggestion. Firstly, I would start drinking up. Cabs from Mondavi and similar quality from 1997 that have been cellared will be fine for quite some time, but since they have been in a closet, you just don't know. Start drinking your older bottles first. If they are fine, then get them into storage, and don't feel too rushed to consume them. If you open an older wine and it's bad, then just keep pulling corks until you get to the years that are still good. Dump out all the bad ones, and cellar the rest. Next time you are ready to drink, once again, go to your older bottles. This will avoid the trouble and space of cellaring wine that is already bad, while you wait for that "special occasion" to try one. If you do get a cooler, put a mark or a piece of tape or something on the bottles that were in a closet for a few years, so down the road, you will remember which ones were cellared properly since release, and which ones aged in the closet for a few years.
I'll wait for my invitation to the dinner party now
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www.VinoCritic.Com
Posts: 999 | Location: Southern California | Registered: Mar 01, 2006
See, I disagree with the risk evaluation. Traveling for work in europe several times a year, I've seen many passive cellars and negociant facilities that are NOT air conditioned, and yes, many of those have been above ground. I think we in the US make too big a fuss about 55-degrees-or-bust.
A closet that has seen 65 degrees max sounds pretty good storage to me. Now, the recent heat wave could have pushed temps too high, but if you are dealing with 'average' residential temps, my opinion is you'll be fine.
Posts: 669 | Location: St Louis, MO | Registered: Feb 27, 2005
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the Vintage Keeper 500 is readily available for around $1500 plus shipping. Once you get a wine cabinet, there is an almost uncontrollable need to fill the damned thing! This will keep you from having to buy another one in a year or so......