How long will they last?

[Derek]

Hi
I guess I'm a newbie to a lot of this though have enjoyed wine for a long time. I have a small stock of wines that theoretically will improve with a few years cellaring according to the info I have on them. I don't have a cellar, just a rack in the large understair cupboard which is both dark and the coolest part of the house. In summer though the temp is going to squeeze up past 20 deg C possibly towards 24. I know this is really far from ideal, but it is the best I have (my father has a better room under his house that would be good but not safe as he would drink my wine) [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
Basically I'm not trying to longterm cellar anything but just have some wine that might improve a bit with a little longer in the bottle.
So my question is whether anyone can give me any ideas as to how long I can expect things to last in this kind of enviroment.

Thanks all - Derek

[winoweenie]

Hi Derek and welcome to the board. Your question can be easily answered if you let us know the wines ie; producer, vintage and size that yopu have. WW

[Derek]

Thanks for this. OK, here goes. I don't have anything special and some are probably pretty specific to NZ/AUS. These would be the ones I am interested to know about.

Cab/Sav's:
Dryden, 1999 (Victoria AUS)
Padthaway, 1999 (AUS)
Cranswick Smith Reserve, 2000 (AUS)
Merlot's:
Omahu, 2000 (Gisborne NZ)
Montana Reserve, 1999 (Marlborough NZ)
Rohrlach Family Reserve, 1998 (Barossa AUS)
Shiraz's:
Hardy's Bankside, 1998 (Sth AUS)
Neil McGuigan First Estate, 2000 (NSW AUS)
Murray Bend Lot 40, 2001 (Victoria AUS)
Shiraz/Cab Sav:
Penfolds Koonunga Hill, 1998 (Sth AUS)
Rhine Castle Special Bin 26A, 1999 (AUS)
Pinotage:
Grove Mill Limited Release, 2000 (Marlborough NZ)

Chardonnay:
Montana Reserve, 2000 (Marlborough NZ) -(Montana say cellar to 2005)
Riesling:
Montana Reserve, 1999 (Marlborough NZ) - (Montana say cellar to 2009)
Catchfire, 2000 (Marlborough NZ)

I've got some '99 and 2000 Sav/Blancs and other Chardonnays but they are all unlikely to stay in their bottles for too much longer... Most of them have recommendations for cellaring to either 2002 or 2003.

Is there a kind of rule of thumb (so to speak) for my storeage conditions that I could apply to the producers recommendations for cellaring that is given on the labels?

Hope that all makes sense.

Thanks again - Derek

[winoweenie]

Hi agin' Derek ole' bean. I'm not familiar with several of your reds but the ones that I know are primaraly near-term agers. With the storage you described, I'd take the wineries aging suggestions and subtract 25%. That way you shoulnd't commit the most henious of all wine crimes....Making Vinegar. WW

[Derek]

Thanks for this. What a shame, I'll just have to drink more. How sad. I'll get over it. Now where's my corkscrew? [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]
And talking of corkscrews, I just bought a new one on the weekend only to find out that the shop I bought it from have just reduced the price by 33%... Happy Christmas - Derek

[winoweenie]

I'd either return the sucker or get an adjustment. WW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/frown.gif[/img]