Rules and conditions for storing homemade wine, choice of container and temperature

Wine is a perishable product, but in the right conditions, while maintaining integrity, its quality improves. During long-term storage, chemical processes involving sugar, phenols and acids occur in homemade wine. They enhance the taste, aroma, and organoleptic qualities of the product. But such positive changes are impossible if the rules for storing the noble drink are not followed.

What is hidden behind the term aging potential of wine?

This term refers to the conditional degree of improvement in the quality of alcohol over time. Not every alcoholic drink can be stored for a long time. Only 10% of all known brands of grape wine improve after a year of storage. And only 1% of products retain quality after 9-12 years.

The potential for aging is determined by several factors:

• quality of raw materials;
• production technology;
• the harvest of a particular year;
• region of location of the vineyard;
• winemaking technique.

Properly aged wine acquires a velvety, complex, soft taste and rich aroma.

Storage conditions

The main conditions for storing alcohol are ventilation and darkness. The sun's rays are necessary for grapes to fully ripen, but they spoil the wine. If storage conditions are not observed, the product quickly oxidizes and loses its taste.

Beverage storage containers

The optimal container is dark glass alcohol bottles. They:

• protect from light;
• ensure the preservation of taste and beneficial qualities;
• suitable for decoration, creating beautiful wine “honeycombs” indoors.

Wine should be poured into clean and dry bottles. The container filled with alcohol is hermetically sealed and placed for 20 minutes in a container with water heated to +60 °C. Afterwards they are taken to a place of permanent storage.

It is unacceptable to store wine in plastic containers from the supermarket. Plastic is not an obstacle to oxygen. Active oxidative processes begin inside the container, destroying the product, the wine ferments and quickly becomes unsuitable for tasting.

It is acceptable to keep homemade wine in glass jars, which are usually used for preservation.But in this case, it is necessary to seal the wine not with iron lids, but with glass lids sealed with a silicone rim. In such containers, alcohol remains suitable for consumption for 4-7 months.

Temperature

The optimal temperature at the storage location is 12-13 °C. Moreover, it is undesirable for sharp temperature fluctuations exceeding 1.45 °C to occur in the room. Average annual temperature changes within 3-5 °C are acceptable.

It is unacceptable to store wine at high temperatures, as it accelerates oxidative processes, as a result the product ages faster. When the temperature exceeds the norm by 8 °C, aging accelerates by 2 times, but the alcohol does not become of higher quality. At high temperatures, oxidation reactions proceed too quickly, and substances that improve the taste of the drink do not have time to be synthesized.

At temperatures above +25 °C the wine actually cooks slowly. The result is a cloudy drink with the taste of melted sugar and dried fruit compote. At temperatures below +10 °C, the wine does not age and taste does not improve. And with low-temperature storage, the likelihood of tartaric acid turning into solid form increases. Crystals appear in the drink, which can scratch the mucous membranes of the mouth when tasting.

Relative humidity

This indicator is important if the bottle is closed with a porous stopper. The relative humidity at the storage location should be 50-60%. In a dry room, cork dries out and cracks, and when the humidity is more than 80%, it becomes moldy.

Ultraviolet radiation

Ultraviolet radiation negatively affects the taste of the product. The taste of rotten wool, burnt rubber or rotten eggs appears.

White and sparkling types of alcohol are most susceptible to direct sunlight.Red wine resists ultraviolet radiation longer because it contains tannins, but after a while it still spoils.

Incandescent or LED lamps must be installed in the storage area. Fluorescent lighting is unacceptable; it emits ultraviolet light.

Bottle location

Wine bottles should lie horizontally. This way the wine constantly washes the cork, preventing it from drying out.

If the wine is planned to be consumed in a short time, then vertical storage is also acceptable. Bottles with non-porous stoppers can be stored in any position.

Vibrations

Wine does not age well if it is subjected to constant vibration. This effect does not affect the taste, but the vibration does not allow sediment to settle. The suspension floats in the drink rather than attaching to the walls and bottom. As a result, the wine becomes cloudy and opaque.

How long can you store a bottle of wine?

There is no clear answer. Shelf life is determined by a number of factors:

• pH level - the lower the acidity, the longer the wine is stored;
• concentration of phenols - the more there are, the longer the shelf life;
• a complex of non-volatile compounds consisting of sugars, acids, phenols.

Alcohol from dark grape varieties is stored for 3-9 years, light - 2.5-3.3 years. A fortified sweet drink has a higher shelf life than a dry and semi-sweet drink.

Young wine sent for storage must be checked every six months for changes in taste in order to adjust the conditions in the room if necessary.

Can it be stored in the refrigerator?

Wine is kept in the refrigerator only after the bottle has been depressurized. It must be used in a short time.

Corked bottles should not be stored on refrigerator shelves.Low temperatures and periodic vibrations of household appliances negatively affect the quality of the product. Wine can also absorb food odors.

Features of storing homemade wine

The main task is to control the temperature and humidity in the room.

Some owners include wine racks in their kitchen design. This decor looks beautiful, the bottles lie horizontally, direct sunlight does not fall on the bottle glass. However, kitchen shelves are not the best option for storing alcohol. The kitchen is the warmest room in the home, where the gas stove and oven are turned on every day, and the temperature here does not meet the parameters required for wine.

In the cellar

The best option for storing bottles after wine fermentation is a cellar. The humidity and temperature parameters here are practically stable and optimal for stored alcohol. It is advisable to equip the room specifically for wine bottles: clean it, install suitable lighting sources, and equip convenient shelving.

If the cellar is partially submerged in the ground, then it is advisable to place the shelving near the underground part of the wall. But if the air humidity in the room exceeds 80%, then you should not keep the grape drink close to the floor.

In the apartment

The best option is to purchase a wine cabinet with a dark glass door, climate control and vibration protection. Small, inexpensive cabinets store wine of one type at a set temperature. And in large, expensive cabinets you can set different temperatures to store several types of alcohol.

You can also install a minibar with UV protection in the kitchen. In fact, this is a smaller version of a wine cabinet.

Homemade wine is usually kept in oak barrels.But many winemakers prefer to use dark glass bottles with porous corks. Fill the bottles completely so that there is no air left between the liquid and the cork.

The storage duration is determined by the type of home product:

• apple, plum and other fruit wine costs 3 years;
• Rowan and other types of berries – 5 years;
• grape – 4 years.

Storing wine after uncorking the container

The shelf life of open alcohol is determined by its type:

• red wine can be consumed no longer than 5 days;
• white and pink – 3 days;
• sparkling wine should be consumed during the day;
• fortified ones are stored longer than others - up to a week.

The reason for the short shelf life after opening the bottle is the oxidation reaction that has begun, which continues even after the cork is returned to its place.

But after the expiration date, your favorite wine should not be thrown away immediately. It can be used to prepare delicious hot dishes.