Start your own wine cellar

guido · Site Admin Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 381 Location: Italy

If your friends are a ruthlessly thirsty bunch, it might be time to start your own wine cellar.

Some basic guidelines:

How to store bottles

Bottles should be laid on their sides to prevent the corks from drying out and shrinking. Fine wine in wooden cases should be left undisturbed - the bottles will already be lying flat and, should you wish to sell them, unopened cases fetch a better price than opened ones. Spirits should be stored standing upright.

What you will need

Depending on how seriously you are taking this, you might find a cellar book or computer program useful. Neck labels for the bottles allow easy identification and a maximum-minimum thermometer is reassuring. If you are dedicating an entire room (other than a purpose-built cellar) to your wine collection, then you might want a temperature-controlling cellar conditioner.

Getting help from the experts

If you are investing in fine wine, then it is best either to store it with the merchant from whom you bought it or at independent, professionally run cellars. For a small annual fee (usually about £8 a year per dozen bottles), the wine is kept in a temperature-controlled environment, the provenance of which will make it easier to sell later on. Stock can be removed a bottle at a time if need be, rather than by the case, but this will incur delivery charges. Check that the wine is insured for replacement value rather than just purchase price.

Where to store wine

• Any space that is dark, reasonably humid, free from vibrations and strong odours, and which has an even temperature (neither too hot nor too cold) can be transformed into your own personal "wine cellar".

• Places to avoid include kitchens (except for everyday wine), rooms near lift shafts and garages, because cooking smells and diesel oil are surprisingly pervasive and vibrations can shake up sediment.

• Studies, cloakrooms and the cupboard under the stairs are ideal, as is the space under the bed in the spare room, provided your guests' love life isn't too energetic.

• If you want more than just a cardboard wine box on its side, then invest in some wine racks. These can be bought ready-made or custom-built to fit the most unusual and awkward spaces. Measure the dimensions yourself or have it done by the company that will be fitting them.

• Temperature-controlled EuroCave wine cabinets (Autour du Vin, 020 7935 0479) are a bulky and expensive alternative if you have the money and the space. If price is no object, you can even have a steel tube containing a spiral cellar inserted into a hole dug into your drive or back garden.

Getting the temperature right

• Maturing wine likes a cool temperature, but this need not be as rigorous as people think.

• Between 50F/10C and 59F/15C is best, with 55F/12C being the ideal.

• Much more important is the consistency of the temperature and the avoidance of excessive damp, because it can corrode lead capsules, penetrate corks and cause labels to peel off.

This is far to be exaustive, but it's a good start.
Guido
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In vino veritas!

paulamathers · Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 3:15 pm Post subject:

Wow! Thats fantastic information! A wine cellar was one of the things i was thinking about starting when i get my own house - probably under the stairs if the space is big enough (they usually are quite big). I think my budget will probably allow me a really nice bottle or two every couple of months!

What i wondered was, what is the best wine to have with Tamale Pie? Also, a nice wine to compliment Lasagne? Drink

guido · Site Admin Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 381 Location: Italy

being born in the "lasagna country", (Emilia region) and being Hyper-traditionalist, I have only theree wines to suggest
Lambrusco di Sorbara
Bonarda dell' OltrePò Pavese. ( yah I know is impronunciable for english speaking people Smile

)
Gutturnio dei Colli Piacentini
Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine
Bonarda and Gutturnio can be found both ways, sparkling or firm.
I know Tesco has Lambrusco from Chiarli winery, and they are a respectable brand here in Italy.
Finding the other two may be a bit more complicated but it really worth.
Anyway, when buying italian wines be sure there is one of these logos on the label: IGT (indicazione Geografica Tipica), DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) or DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita).
The last one indicates the top quality wines.

As for Tamale pie, Those above are quite good, and i would add also Barbera d'Asti, or if you like to dare, serve a white wine, like Galestro, or Fiano di Avellino.
Ciao
_________________
In vino veritas!

paulamathers · Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:09 pm Post subject:

Thank you! Although for some reason Lambrusco here is sparkling white and really cheap so i will have to ccheck if wee have a red Lambrusco. I will look out for the initials/logos you mentioned when im at the shops next so i can see if wee have them on our bottles of italian wine. I will also see if we have the second 2 you mentioned in the still versions. Thanks again x