I've been a magazine subscriber for a while, but new to the forum. I got a ? for yall.
This week we lost power for 3 days due to a heavy rain/wind storm. My cellar is at 55F steady, but climbed slowly to 70F by the third day of no power. Do you think this is a bad thing? Should I have my more $$ wines checked? Luckily, I am low at only 50 btls right now, and most are $80 and up. They look fine visually and none of the cork wrappers are loose. No visible leakage. My prsent cellar consists of some supertusacans, Chiantis, California cabs, and a few Bordeauxs.
I was getting worried about the temp. The power Co. kept saying it'll be back in a few hours..... three days later . Anyhow, this is the first incident in three yrs with the cellar, and a generator is on the shopping list next week. Couldn't find one to save my life after the outtage.
Welcome Vino Lover 40. Good to see another Montrealer posting, although I'm going to guess you're in the Laurentians if you lost power for 3 days?
Agree with PH that your wines will be fine.
If you're ever interested in getting together for wine tastings, keep an eye out on the Off-Line Events board. We try to get together about once a month, but we've slipped a little this summer.
Welcome Vino Lover 40 !! Great to see another wino from the area !!
As steve8 said: Keep a look out for an offline soon.
quote:
Originally posted by steve8: If you're ever interested in getting together for wine tastings, keep an eye out on the Off-Line Events board. We try to get together about once a month, but we've slipped a little this summer.
Steve8, so far we have only skipped july !!! I'm still waiting to know who is availible for August. (I will send an e-mail soon !!)
Don't sweat it. For a few days, nothing happened to your wine.
My passive cellar(ie bottles not in my VK) have been at the 70F range for a week and I am PANICKING!!
*********************** "I have drunk not to the clouding of my reason, but just so much that I can still surely distinguish the syllables with my tongue." Athenaeus
Posts: 3390 | Location: montreal | Registered: Feb 21, 2004
Thanks guys. I need better insulation to keep my Yellow Tail and Little Penguin Reserve bottlings from this heat!!!
*********************** "I have drunk not to the clouding of my reason, but just so much that I can still surely distinguish the syllables with my tongue." Athenaeus
Posts: 3390 | Location: montreal | Registered: Feb 21, 2004
Nice to see fellow canucks in my area. I will definately keep an eye out for the offline tastings, sounds like fun.
Steve, actually I'm in the West Island: DDO. There was a problem not far from our home with a transformer that took Hydro 3 days to figure out . It was frustrating to see power all around us, except for a few blocks where we live. I could see street lights from my kitchen!
On the up side, we opened a couple bottles of Sterling 01, and Badia, Chianti 99, very nice.
My wife and I had a fight over this topic (somewhat) I wanted to have my cellar on the back up generagtor for if and when we lose power. She thought it was stupid, I told her the value of my 20 most expensive wines. Cellar is hooked up to back up generator, however I am now on a wine allowance. :-(
Posts: 517 | Location: Long Island, NY | Registered: Jul 11, 2006
While your wine can certainly be harmed by extended periods of heat, I don't think that 70 degrees for a few days (or even a few weeks) would really be a bad thing. Temperature fluctuations help the wine develop. I'm not in the 55-degree camp, because I personally think that wine kept at this tempertaure simply ages too slowly. My cellar which is passive fluctuates from 48 degrees in the winter to about 68 degrees for about three weeks in the summer. I've never had a bottle from my stash that I thought was hampered by "bad cellaring." I know I'm in the minority on this issue, but my experience has shown me to be right so far.
----------------------- Le vin français est inférieur Du vin français est surestimé Le vin français suce
Posts: 3000 | Location: ATL, GA | Registered: Jan 10, 2004
Originally posted by Golf&Pinot Nut: While your wine can certainly be harmed by extended periods of heat, I don't think that 70 degrees for a few days (or even a few weeks) would really be a bad thing. Temperature fluctuations help the wine develop. I'm not in the 55-degree camp, because I personally think that wine kept at this tempertaure simply ages too slowly. My cellar which is passive fluctuates from 48 degrees in the winter to about 68 degrees for about three weeks in the summer. I've never had a bottle from my stash that I thought was hampered by "bad cellaring." I know I'm in the minority on this issue, but my experience has shown me to be right so far.
thanks GPN for your input. And happy belated b-day
*********************** "I have drunk not to the clouding of my reason, but just so much that I can still surely distinguish the syllables with my tongue." Athenaeus
Posts: 3390 | Location: montreal | Registered: Feb 21, 2004
Originally posted by escape: Ahhhh DDO. I suppose I am starting to miss Montreal. Especially since Texas sits at daily temp of 102
I wonder if you will still feel the same way when the mercury drops to below -25C here in 5 months from now...
*********************** "I have drunk not to the clouding of my reason, but just so much that I can still surely distinguish the syllables with my tongue." Athenaeus
Posts: 3390 | Location: montreal | Registered: Feb 21, 2004
. Anyhow, this is the first incident in three yrs with the cellar, and a generator is on the shopping list next week. Couldn't find one to save my life after the outtage.
. It was frustrating to see power all around us, except for a few blocks where we live. I could see street lights from my kitchen! 
Glad you liked the city Spacewrangler and everything is overpriced at the tourist trap known as the Queue de Cheval.