Storing and Aging Wine

Top 2. May 20, 1998 9:25 AM

» WilliamG - Alan, you have hit upon a difficult problem for us. We like to

Alan, you have hit upon a difficult problem for us. We like to keep wines and especially those that we might pick up on our vacation tours of wine country (AKA Sonoma and Napa Valleys last summer). But we have even less space to put in some sort of "wine cellar" (it is a one story house with no
basement (Houston is not really into basements)) than I have for more roses. As you will see in the "Rose Garden" I am still agonizing over what to do with 'Jeanne Lajoie'? So anyway, how do you maintain the "correct" conditions of temperature, etc. here in HOT, HUMID Houston, TX.??

William Groth, Houston TX,

USDA zone 9a Upper Texas Gulf Coast

Budding Rosarian (actually a HARJ), Herbophile,

Gardener and Avid Aquarist and Genealogist

-- posted by WilliamG

Top 3. May 20, 1998 10:44 AM

» CalWine - RE: Maintaining proper storage temperature. Not such a problem,

RE: Maintaining proper storage temperature. Not such a problem, William. If you buy current release wines, you can keep most of them at cool room temperature for up to a year. If you know you'll be keeping a special bottle or two for more than a few weeks, put it in the fridge. Better yet, buy a small temperature controlled wine vault. They come in sizes designed to hold a couple of cases up to huge room sized behemoths.

Alan Boehmer California
Wine

-- posted by CalWine

Top 4. May 20, 1998 1:45 PM

» CalWine - An interesting note: Two days ago I conducted a repeat tasting o

An interesting note: Two days ago I conducted a repeat tasting of a venue of East Coast wines. The first tasting was held a month ago, two weeks after the wines arrived in California. The second event was identical, but for the fact that the wines had been held an additional month at cellar temp. Night and Day. In the first case, fruit and delicate flavor and aroma components had become seriously impaired; but after six weeks' rest, they re-emerged. Keep this in mind when you go on vacation to wine country and bring back the goods in the trunk of your car.

Alan Boehmer California
Wine

-- posted by CalWine

Top 5. May 21, 1998 11:20 AM

» WilliamG - Where do you find small wine vaults and what is the price range

Where do you find small wine vaults and what is the price range on them. I might get one for Joan and I as a belated anniverary gift, or house warming gift. We haven't had a house warming or house blessing party yet and we have been in the house for two years in June. Now isn't that the perfect excuse (as if one needs an excuse) to break open a bottle of wine or two or more.

William Groth, Houston TX,

USDA zone 9a Upper Texas Gulf Coast

Budding Rosarian (actually a HARJ), Herbophile,

Gardener and Avid Aquarist and Genealogist

-- posted by WilliamG

Top 6. May 21, 1998 12:44 PM

» CalWine - RE: Wine Vaults. William, you can find an under the counter mode

RE: Wine Vaults. William, you can find an under the counter model from IWA in the Wine Spectator Gift Shop. The link is on my topic page. IWA publishes a catalog of wine storage solutions — all expensive.

You can do it yourself, however, by purchasing a refrigeration unit (IWA also offers them) and putting it in a closet. You could construct your own racking, or buy it from IWA. You would need to put weather stripping on the door.

If you're only wanting to keep a few bottles for a few months, heck, stick them in your fridge. If you've developed a palate for aged wine, then your stuck.

Alan Boehmer California
Wine

-- posted by CalWine

Top 7. May 21, 1998 1:07 PM

» WilliamG - I was afraid you would say the dreaded E word -- <

I was afraid you would say the dreaded E word -- expensive that is. I guess trying to find something of that sort locally is going to be a challenge. I will have to start looking. My fathers new bride (he is 80 and she is like 78) has a refrigerator type unit with the wine racks in it. I guess that is a wine vault. It is about like the small refrigerators you see at appliance stores. They cost about $100. I have one in the fish room (that is our room exclusively set up with aquariums (2 1/2 to 180 gal.) ) which is used to keep fish foods in it. I must ask my Dragonmouth bride if we wanted to consider a wine vault.

William Groth, Houston TX,

USDA zone 9a Upper Texas Gulf Coast

Budding Rosarian (actually a HARJ), Herbophile,

Gardener and Avid Aquarist and Genealogist

-- posted by WilliamG

Top 8. May 21, 1998 1:58 PM

» CalWine - William, William. The choice is between fish food and wine??? Ho

William, William. The choice is between fish food and wine??? How could you even hesitate?

Alan Boehmer California
Wine

-- posted by CalWine

Top 9. May 22, 1998 7:42 AM

» WilliamG - Actually considering the under utilization of the refrigerator,

Actually considering the under utilization of the refrigerator, I don't store that much fish food in there. I could actually put both in it. I mean the wine is in a bottle and the fish food is in a plastic container. If I don't have to go to the trouble of an fancy bottle holder. I might get a couple of pieces of wood and hollow them out and then set them on the racks in the
refrigerator to hold the wine bottles. I bet if I am creative I can convert part of the refrigerator into a mini wine vault.

William Groth, Houston TX,

USDA zone 9a Upper Texas Gulf Coast

Budding Rosarian (actually a HARJ), Herbophile,

Gardener and Avid Aquarist and Genealogist

-- posted by WilliamG

Top 10. May 22, 1998 1:44 PM

» CalWine - William, you're a practical man. Of course you can make your own

William, you're a practical man. Of course you can make your own wine vault, using a standard refrigerator. You'll want to set the temperature to 55 degrees plus or minus a few. Many have advised against using a standard refrigerator for this purpose because of excessive vibration, but there is no concrete evidence that I know of to support the notion. Let us know when you're finished, so we can suggest how best to fill it. {G}

Alan Boehmer California
Wine

-- posted by CalWine