5 Ways to Maximise Your Wine’s Life Span
One question that comes to our mind is how can I maximise the wine’s life span to stay fresh, young, and attractive? Here are strategies to use
Extending the shelf life of wine means protecting wine from oxidation. Regardless of the colour, oxidation causes significant changes in the quality of the wine, all of them leading to the loss of young character. To reduce these chemical reactions, it is essential to use a mini wine cooler fridge to store your wine.
In white wines, oxidation produces browning, pinking, development of bitterness, increased concentration of acetaldehyde, and loss of varietal and fresh aroma. In red wines, oxidation is characterised by the development of prunes and fruit marmalade aromas, loss of body, and an increase in brown/orange hues.
Solutions to maximise wine’s lifespan
1. Distinguish the types of wine
Not all wine is destined to age. You can only store white wine for one to two years. Also, it is especially susceptible to direct light, sunlight, and incandescent light because clear glass offers less protection than darker bottles. Light causes photo-oxidation of wines. In the case of reds, they remain in storage for up to three years.
2. Minimise oxygen solubilization
Avoiding exposure to air, and preventing the solubilization of oxygen in the wine, is the first step in preventing oxidation. In addition to blanketing with gas, performing a kind of chemical blanketing is possible. Ascorbic acid and inactivated yeast can rapidly consume oxygen before the oxidation of wine compounds begins
3. Keep at a constant temperature
Temperature plays a vital role in wine preservation. It is recommended that the wine is at a constant temperature between 8 ° and 15 ° C.
Young white wines are consumed at a temperature between 6° and 8°. Regardless of the label, wine storage temperature should never be kept below 4°C because the drink will freeze. It should also not be above 20°C because it will speed up the premature oxidation process and destroy the volatile compounds.
4. Store bottles horizontally
Corked bottles should be stored flat on a wine rack, in a box, or in a cabinet. Keeping the wine on its side helps keep the cork moist and prevents leaks; no need to keep screw cap bottles on the sides. They should also be kept in the dark to preserve their excellent flavour.
5. Avoid strong odours
The wine breathes through the porous cork. Therefore, we cannot keep the bottles in the kitchen because they can be contaminated with strong odours, such as garlic and onion. It should also not be in contact with paint cans, cleaning products, and other potential contaminants.
How to maximise open bottles of wine’s lifespan
An open bottle of wine lasts between 3 to 5 days. To extend its useful life and preserve its qualities, it is essential to quickly and accurately cover it again.
- Recap: If you know that the bottle is not likely to end, it is vital to keep it closed as long as possible. Limiting the ingress of oxygen helps preserve the freshness of the wine.
- Leave the wine in a vertical position: if possible, avoid storing the wine lying down. The upright position will minimise the surface area that binds with oxygen, slowing down the oxidation process.
- Have a few medium-sized bottles on hand
Keep the wine in a cold and dark place: when it comes to preserving the integrity of the wine, oxygen is not the only factor to consider: light and temperature also influence it.
