Caring for your wine

Essentially, there are six main trouble areas when it comes to things that can be detrimental to wine after it has been put in a bottle - a perfectly clean bottle that is, closed with a good seal that isn't tainted or damaged . . . Here we're talking about how and where a wine should be stored before it's drunk.

Simply put, if you don't look after your bottles of wine, they won't look after you. For a wine to develop properly en route to maturity, protection is essential. Chemical changes occur throughout its life as tannins, acids and wood components soften, the fruit mellows, colour changes and complexity increases. These processes should be slow and gentle for the wine to peak at its best.

In order of importance then, these are the factors that one should be mindful of:

Temperature . . . The ideal temperature storage temperature for wine is said to be 10 or 11º centigrade, but anything between 5º and 18º is okay - accepting that the wine will develop faster at higher temperatures and that its maturation will be retarded if kept very cold. Freezing or very hot temperatures will have obvious consequences, changing a wine just as they will most foodstuffs - to the point that it can be burnt. A bottle of wine should never experience anything higher than 35º C. And just as important is the need to maintain a constant temperature: big seasonal variations should be avoided, while changes during the course of a day should not exceed a few degrees.
Light . . . Bright light, particularly sunlight, can change the character of a wine over time, affecting its maturation potential and eventually spoiling it altogether. We're not talking about switching a light on and off or opening and closing a window occasionally, but wine bottles exposed to excessive light too often or for too long. Which is why for centuries wine has been stored in dark places, and why good wine is put in bottles made from green or brown glass that filters out some of the harmful rays.
Air . . . The oxygen in the air we breathe is both friend and foe when it comes to wine. Controlled oxidation benefits the development and maturation of a wine - the interaction of the wine with the small amount of air left inside the bottle when it's sealed. However, too much exposure to oxygen and the wine goes downhill fast, eventually becoming completely oxidised, off - which is why an efficient seal is important. It's also why, if the wine is to be lying down for a number of years, the closure needs to be inspected from time to time to check for leakage - if wine is getting out, it's quite possible that air is getting in.
Position . . . Most bottles of wine should be laid down on their sides - horizontal, or at least at an angle sufficient to keep the corks wet, in contact with the wine. What you want to avoid are dried-out corks, which are less efficient seals and more prone to letting air in or wine out. Wines bottled under screwcap can be stored standing upright, but why risk it - if there is a leak, rather that you become aware of it by way of detectable seepage than be oblivious to air getting into the bottles.
Humidity . . . This has to do with the degree of moisture in the air: ideal wine storage conditions involve a humidity level of between 70 and 75%. Too high and mildew can develop on the labels and corks; too low and the cork can dry out and shrink, allowing air into the bottles and resulting in accelerated development at best, spoilage of the wine at worst.
Movement . . . Somewhat less critical over short periods but worth bearing in mind if the wine is going to be kept for a long time before drinking (several years or more), is that it should be left as undisturbed as possible - kept away from vibrations, and moved around as little as possible. It can take the odd 'body blow' during transport, for instance, but it objects to being treated like a punching bag. Suffice to say that it's best to avoid violent shaking or regular handling of the bottles - especially in the case of wines that throw a sediment, so that it can settle on the bottom or sides of the bottle rather than be suspended in the wine.
Much has to do with where you keep it

Given that wine is fairly sensitive, it's one thing buying a bottle to open later in the day, week or month - put it on a shelf, in a cupboard or in the fridge for a while and there's no harm done - but storing it for any length of time is quite a different matter, especially if you wish to mature it properly.

• Choose a place that is cooler than elsewhere in the building - somewhere near the centre, for example. The south side can be best, if you're in the southern hemisphere.
• Keep away from windows and perimeter walls subjected to a lot of sunlight from the outside, as these tend to be the warmest areas.
• Kitchens and garages are not suitable (too much human activity, odours, big temperature fluctuations), and neither are lofts (most are too hot).
• Stay clear of washing machines, hi-fi sound systems and appliances in general - wine doesn't appreciate being all shook up, no matter how good the vibrations.
• Wherever you choose as a storage space, it should be as dark as possible (when you're not putting wines in or taking them out).

In contemplating where to store your wines, much depends on how many bottles you plan to keep at any given time, the amount of time and effort you wish to devote to the collection, and the sort of money you're prepared to spend.

" Wine racks on display in the dining room or lounge can be visually pleasing and useful when you want bottles close at hand - so long as wine isn't kept there for weeks to months on end.
" An existing cupboard or shelving space can be converted into a wine 'holding station' - or you could buy a free-standing wine cooler made especially for storing wine.
" You could turn an existing room into a wine storage area. A basement is good, if you have one that's suitable, given that it's easier to keep dark.
" Best of all, of course, is a temperature- and humidity-controlled wine cellar (custom-built or converted room). This is the route to go if you're talking hundreds of bottles and planning to age wines for years at a stretch.