An oenophile is a person who loves to discuss and to drink wine. Wine is a truly remarkable beverage, which came into being because of the ubiquity of yeast in the environment. When yeast lands in grape juice or any other sweet liquid, it interacts with the sugars present to produce fermentation.
Ancient people found that instead of ruining the grape juice, the yeast changed it into an entirely different drink, and one with a kick, because fermentation also changes any sugar present into alcohol. Ancient peoples also decided that this, too, was not such a bad thing, and began to deliberately make juices, mostly grape juices, into wines.
There was a time when wine storage solutions were not much thought about. They used crocks and ewers to store their wine then. With few ways to control the temperature or humidity, no one could ever be certain that the storage of wine would serve to help it to reach the peak of full taste. It was discovered that caves and cellars enhanced the wine, and that is how the first wine cellars started.
In the same way they learned how wines require different conditions for the development and aging processes, today’s wine enthusiasts have discovered that their own home wine storage solutions must meet certain conditions as well. For most modest wines, an open wine rack in a home of moderate temperature and minimal humidity is sufficient.
Wine storage coolers can be purchased to control the exact conditions your wine will be stored in. Coolers can be found in a multitude of sizes, ranging from a single bottle cooler, best for individual use, to refrigerated walk-in coolers for extensive collections. An individual’s choice of wine storage solutions will depend on both the size of the collection to be stored and the individual’s budget.
If wine is to remain at it’s peak flavor or to reach it through careful aging, it is fussy. Wine has a very narrow temperature array ranging from 40 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit with as little variation as can be. Temperature variations should occur as infrequently as possible. Under one time per year is recommended, and humidity should be kept at more than fifty per cent as well. A cooler should be free from light or out of direct sunlight that is harmful to wines.
One important factor to consider in a wine storage unit is the angle the bottles will be housed at. Preferably, the bottles should be stored on horizontally on their sides, but can be stored at up to a 45 degree angle. Wine racks are the best storage method, but coolers are also sometimes used to stack bottles. A storage rack should be able to accommodate both standard wine bottles and unique sizes and shapes. A final consideration is appearance, if the storage unit will be on display.
Wine was first created by the accidental addition of yeast to juice, which caused the mixture to ferment, producing wine. Currently, wine production is a booming business, and most connoisseurs are faced with the decision of what to store their wine in. Wine storage solutions range from simplistic wine racks up to walk-in wine storage coolers, and nearly every variety in between. A rack or cooler can be found for nearly any size collection and price range. Wines are best stored horizontally, or as close to horizontal at possible, at temperatures between 40 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit and with humidity at or above 50% to ensure the best flavor.
- Summer Wilde