Storing Red Wine

5stringJeff · #1 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 12:55 PM

Every time I buy a bottle of red wine, it gets really vinegarish/sour, almost overnight. Should I store it in the fridge? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

dmp · #2 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5stringJeff

Every time I buy a bottle of red wine, it gets really vinegarish/sour, almost overnight. Should I store it in the fridge? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Are you saying 'after' you open it, it becomes bad overnight?

After it's open, re-cork unused portion and stick it in the fridge.

Unopened:

Quote:

Position and Peace

First is position, bottles should be kept horizontal in a safe area, where they will not be disturbed. They need be laying horizontally so that the wine is always in contact with the cork, which keeps the cork from drying out. This is important because if the cork dries out then it let in wild yeast, fungus, or bacteria that will create off flavors in your wine. You will also want to ensure the wine can lie undisturbed for a long time. As wine ages, it will continue to change in the bottle and will form sediments. You want these sediments to sink to the bottom of the bottle and stay there so when you pour an old wine into the decanter you will not foul it with the lees. Although a wine rack is not required, it is worth the investment. Your wines can be nicely organized and kept safer from accidental breakage.
Temperature

Wines should also be kept away from heat sources and temperatures that are too cold. You don't want them stored in any area that freezing temperatures might occur and cause bottle to break. Too, avoid heat above 64F in order to ensure the wine does not get cooked, another way wine can develop off flavors. The goal is a constant temperature, away from sunlight. Dedicating a cabinet area that is low and safe form heat would work well. Also, there are many wine refrigerators on the market that will keep your wines stored in perfect conditions until you are ready to enjoy them.
Light and Humidity

Light and humidity both affect wine to a lesser, but still significant degree. Wine stored in direct sunlight can undergo changes to the plant based compounds in the wine. Very strong sunlight for long periods can have adverse affects on both the aroma and body of the wine. Humidity should be kept high enough to ensure the cork does not shrink from the outside. But too high a humidity will encourage wild yeast, fungus, and bacteria growth that could promote spoilage. Aiming for 30-60% humidity is ideal.

Of course, if you can do it, a wine cellar is ideal. This is not just a generic term for a place to keep wine. A cellar (below ground) is best because generally temperatures are cooler and more constant. The cellar or basement of a dwelling is also protected from damaging sunlight.

You will be rewarded if you take the time to store your wine properly because the bottles will age well and potentially improve as the years pass. It takes little effort to treat your wines well, but it will help protect your investment and make your drinking experience much more pleasurable.
© WineryMall 2004-2005

Mr. P · #3 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 01:21 PM

'after' you open it? Drink it all problem solved. No? Cork it then in the frig.

5stringJeff · #4 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmp

Are you saying 'after' you open it, it becomes bad overnight?

After it's open, re-cork unused portion and stick it in the fridge.

Ah. So I guess in-the-sunlight-and-next-to-the-microwave-for-a-month is a bad place to store it?

Mr. P · #5 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5stringJeff

Ah. So I guess in-the-sunlight-and-next-to-the-microwave-for-a-month is a bad place to store it?

:eek2: :spank3:

manu1959 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5stringJeff

Every time I buy a bottle of red wine, it gets really vinegarish/sour, almost overnight. Should I store it in the fridge? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

cool dark place......not fridge...too cold

Mr. P · #7 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manu1959

cool dark place......not fridge...too cold

Pffffffffttt, is not! Then again once opened it really should be consumed in total. Hrs later no matter how you save it, it won't be the same.

Mr. P · #8 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manu1959

cool dark place......not fridge...too cold

Where should I store wine after it is opened?

A re-corked, leftover bottle of red or white wine can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 — 5 days without compromising its flavor. Just take the red wine out of the refrigerator to let it come up to room temperature before drinking. A tightly corked leftover bottle of Champagne/sparkling wine can also be kept fresh in the refrigerator for 3 - 5 days.

How long will an open bottle of wine keep?

Longer than you may think. Don’t throw it away! Re-cork the wine (if you’ve thrown away the cork use plastic wrap and a rubber band). An open bottle of red or white wine will keep in the refrigerator for 3 — 5 days. A bottle of Champagne/sparkling wine (tightly recorked) will also keep for 3 — 5 days in the refrigerator.
http://www.supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/page.cfm/310

:lalala: :lalala: :lalala:

manu1959 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. P

Where should I store wine after it is opened?

A re-corked, leftover bottle of red or white wine can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 — 5 days without compromising its flavor. Just take the red wine out of the refrigerator to let it come up to room temperature before drinking. A tightly corked leftover bottle of Champagne/sparkling wine can also be kept fresh in the refrigerator for 3 - 5 days.

How long will an open bottle of wine keep?

Longer than you may think. Don’t throw it away! Re-cork the wine (if you’ve thrown away the cork use plastic wrap and a rubber band). An open bottle of red or white wine will keep in the refrigerator for 3 — 5 days. A bottle of Champagne/sparkling wine (tightly recorked) will also keep for 3 — 5 days in the refrigerator.
http://www.supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/page.cfm/310

:lalala: :lalala: :lalala:

i use a vacum pump cork and lay it down again in my wine rack....

Mr. P · #10 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manu1959

i use a vacum pump cork and lay it down again in my wine rack....

I understand that pretty effective.

nt250 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 01:48 AM

When I was 23 I moved away from home to take a job in a new town. I didn't know a soul. A few months after I moved, another woman moved into the vacant apartment next to me and we got friendly. She was very worldy. She was an army brat and had lived in many different countries. She was only about 5 years older than I was, but she seemed very sophisticated and...just very classy.

She invited me over one night and gave me a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. I just about gagged. It was horrible. I asked her if she had any ice, and she laughed and said "sure". She got up, went the the freezer, and plopped two ice cubes into my glass. I could drink it after that. It was still pretty awful, but it was drinkable cold.

It wasn't until years later that I read you were supposed to drink red wine at room temperature. But she never said a word. She was pretty cool.

dmp · #12 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 08:48 AM

A BAD Cab/Sauv is like a bad ANYTHING. A GOOD Cab/Sauv is like a little taste of Heaven.

Btw - was she HOT?

nt250 · #13 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmp

A BAD Cab/Sauv is like a bad ANYTHING. A GOOD Cab/Sauv is like a little taste of Heaven.

Btw - was she HOT?

Yes, she was hot. Very pretty. Think Debra Messing. She was very Bohemian. But she was just very laid back and very cool.

The house we lived in was an old converted farm house. My apartment was an on the second floor in the back, and the landlord lived in an apartment below me. Her apartment was in the front and it was two stories and had a spiral staircase in it that led from the living room up to a loft style bedroom.

This house had a horrific fly problem. I moved in in April and by the summer my apartment was full of lies. It was awful. They'd get in my lampshade and it'd be "ping ping ping" as they flew around the light bulb. It was absolute torture. I came home one night and there were 30 flies on the ceiling of my living room. I counted them. 30. And they were the big ones. Oh, it was awful.

I wrote a desperate note to my landlord and just told him I couldn't take the flies anymore and he had to do something. His solution was to get me these little canister things that you hang from the ceiling. They'd unravel into a spiral of sticky stuff that the flies would get stuck to. Oh, yeah, that worked. Instead of "ping ping ping" I was hearing 'bizz bizz bizz" instead. The flies would get stuck to these things and then it would take them days to die.

My neighbor invited me over one night for dinner and we were in her kitchen. She was making biscuits from scratch, was stirring the dough and telling me about her time living in Germany, when this fly just flew right into the bowl. She never broke stride, never stopped telling her story, she just scooped the fly out with her hand and flung it into the sink.

She was very cool. And yes, I ate the biscuits. They were great.

SouthernYankee · #14 (**permalink**) 10-24-2006, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manu1959

i use a vacum pump cork and lay it down again in my wine rack....

I agree with using a vacuum pump, but am curious as to why you lay it down again?

I don't have a problem with longstanding leftovers, if I don't finish what I open the first night, I finish it the next night... :cheers2:

Outsider · #15 (**permalink**) 12-02-2006, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthernYankee

I agree with using a vacuum pump, but am curious as to why you lay it down again?

I don't have a problem with longstanding leftovers, if I don't finish what I open the first night, I finish it the next night... :cheers2:

The laying down of the wine is to avoid the cork from drying and cracking, there by letting in air and allowing oxidation to occur.

I have one of these, since open bottles don't last more than a day or two here, I don't feel the need for a vaccum. I have it sitting on an antique end table near a wrought iron wine rack, it's a good look.

Ignore the housekeeping, the maids on vacation. :P