Wine Crumudgeon advice?

[sharky]

Sorry if I spelled it wrong. With keeping a group of Cabernets I have two options A) room temp on the eastern coast of the U.S. where temps indoors can reach as high as 89F or in a refrigerator where the temp is normally around 70F? I have heard that an ideal temp of ^*f is preferrred but on my budget it would be a luxury to buy a fridge just for my wines. I normally try to keep between 8-12 bottles of the Cabs on hand for personal consumption or visitors, any advice is well apreciated.

[n144mann]

from what I understand, stability of temperature is more inportant than the actual temp.....if you want ideal...then get the fridge but ideal is about 55-60... I think that what you really want to avoid is large shift in temps that will force the corks out. also...keep your wine out of sunlight....put your wine on its side, in a nice quiet corner in a dark closet, and it will do you well. Keep in mind that the longer you want to store your wines, the closer to ideal you will want to be. If you are only keeping them on hand for a matter of months, or 10 years makes a difference. Also, make sure if you keep your wines at a temp in the 80's that you chill them before serving ..a red served at a temp much above 70 would be a disappointment and a waste of a nice wine.
A serving temp should be room temp in a drafty castle.....somewhere in the mid sixties.....some really fruity reds can even go a bit below that, esp with picnic eats on a hot day. Good luck and enjoy your wines, that is what they were created for!!!
Nancy



[This message has been edited by n144mann (edited 08-07-99).]

[Jerry D Mead]

A refrigerator is not a solution for longterm storage...they usually get too cold (even at the highest settings) and there's a humidity problem.

You're probably better off with a dark, inside closet and trying to keep the temp at 70f with use of a room air conditioner.

[Jerry D Mead]

Ideal temp for longterm storage is 55-60f...it slows the aging process way down.

[n144mann]

thanks for clearing that up Curm...re-reading my message I realize that I did not make that very clear for them.
Nancy

[Karena Shannon]

Another option for you Sharky, is to inquire with your local merchant about wine storage lockers in your area. The price is generally a good deal less than the expense of constructing your own cellar or purchasing one of the stand-alone models. I currently pay ~$30/month for a locker that fits 20 cases.
Just another option...