Contrary to popular belief, not all wines age well. The factors that affect whether or not a bottle you buy will age with graceinclude grape variety, vintage, vineyard practices and the winemaking and bottling process. The grape variety determines the sugar, tannin and acid levels. The vintage is the influence of weather and climate on the grapes. Vineyard practices and winemaking determine how the grapes are grown and processed and the proportion of ingredients used as well as how the wine is adjusted as it ferments. One of the main factors in the proper aging of wine, and the one that you as a wine cellar in Houston TXowner can control, is the right storage conditions. The four storage factors that affect wine aging are:
Temperature. A perfect and constant 55°Fis ideal for all wine but it is unrealistic for almost every wine cellar in Houston TX to maintain such perfection. Successful wine aging can be accomplished by keeping your wine cellar just below a comfortable room temperature – 68° to 72°. Frequent, rapid and drastic changes in temperature will kill your wine collection. Great fluctuations in temperature can change the pressure in the bottles and the volume of the wine in the bottles. This can result in a seal compromise that will allow oxygen to enter the bottle.
Oxygen. Most wine bottles that you will collect have cork stoppers and these are meant to allow minimal amounts of oxygen to seep into the bottle over the life of the wine. Excess amounts of oxygen in the bottle can prevent the development of the complex bouquet of older wines. It can also destroy or obscure the natural aroma of some grape varietals.
Light. Sunlight, incandescent light bulbs and fluorescent light fixtures produce ultraviolet light that can cause the degradation of normally stable organic compounds, especially tannin, found in wine. These compounds contribute to the maturing aroma, flavor and structure of the wine and without them, your wine will be flat. Most wines come in colored bottles to give them some protection from UV light but the protection is not absolute. Also, the heat that radiates from both sunlight and incandescent light bulbs will adversely affect your wine’s aging process.
Vibration. While bottle vibration is not the worst thing that can happen to a bottle of wine, it can impede the clarification process of the wine and can cause it to taste gritty. There is some argument that excessive vibration of wine bottles affects the aging process; but it has never really been proven. Most wine collectors feel that it’s better to be safe than sorry so having a design for your wine cellar in Houston TX that can keep your wine bottles virtually vibration-free can’t be a bad thing.
Building your dream wine cellar is just the beginning of the process of maintaining and enjoying your collection of fine wines. If you plan to keep bottles of wine for many years to allow them to age, you should understand all the factors that go into proper wine maturation. At Vineyard Wine Cellars in Houston, TX, we understand wine and what it takes to store it properly. Call us today at 866-973-1100 to schedule an appointment for a wine cellar consultation. Or visit our website atwww.vineyardwinecellars.com to see a gallery of our completed wine cellars and an explanation of the services we provide.
wine cellar in Houston TX
Vineyard Wine Cellars
15020 Beltway Dr.
Addison, Texas 75001
866-973-1100 972-712-9600
Vineyard Wine Cellars
15020 Beltway Dr.
Addison, Texas 75001
866-973-1100 972-712-9600
No comments:
Post a Comment