Wine Storage
The best way to store wine is in a cool, damp cellar, which is preferably odorless, dark and free of vibrations. An average temperature of 10 - 12 ° C is ideal for wine storage.
And when do you enjoy which wine?
For the professional, a temperature controlled wine cabinet that simulates the optimal conditions of the wine cellar, is recommended as an alternative.
If you don't have such ideal conditions, you don't have to do without a small wine supply. A cool place in the apartment, where the temperatures do not fluctuate too much, also suffices. Often this is the bedroom, even if this sounds strange at first. There is always a place under the bed for a few bottles of good wine. Basically, the higher the ambient temperature, the faster the wine matures, so permanent temperatures above 20 ° C are to be avoided if possible, as are strong smells or exposure to light.
Wine closures determine the type of storage
For long-term storage, wines that are closed with corks should be kept lying down so that the cork does not dry out and shrink. Additional protection for premium wines is provided by sealing the cork with a special sealing wax. Cork-sealed wines that are intended to be consumed within 1 - 2 years can also be stored upright, as the moisture from inside the bottle keeps the cork sufficiently moist.
Wines with plastic corks, screw caps, bottle caps or glass caps can be safely stored upright.
Potential for aging increases with quality
Every wine is individual, therefore life expectancy differs. In general, however, it can be said that the higher the alcohol, sweetness, acidity and - in the case of red wine - tannins, the longer the wines can age. It depends on the sum of these components. This means that noble sweet wines such as Trockenbeerenauslesen or ice wines, which have a fresh acidity and sufficient alcohol content, can be stored for 20 years or even longer. They often attain their full maturity and elegance after aging for several years so make exceptional gifts for very special occasions, such as weddings. It can be memorable to enjoy a wine from your year of birth.
Premium red wines with a high tannin content and 13% or more alcohol volume can also remain stable for decades, especially if they are also aged in barrels. Basic quality dry wines should be drunk within 3 years. In the premium range, 5-10 years are not a problem for dry wines. With Spätlesen and Auslesen wines, especially of the more acidic Riesling variety, the wine can be stored a little longer.
Sparkling wine tastes best fresh. Branded sparkling wines should be bought as soon as possible before consumption and stored for a maximum of one year. Winzersekt, made with the traditional bottle fermentaion, can tolerate 2-3 years of storage. Rosé and Weißherbst taste best when drunk young, because the pronounced fruit flavors come to the fore most clearly in the first few years. They are rarely intended for long storage, so they should be consumed within 1-2 years.
When buying wines that are intended for a longer storage, it is advisable to buy a little more because it is extremely exciting to repeatedly try the same wine every few years and follow its maturity. With this in mind, the rule of thumb is to store 3x30 bottles of wine rather than 30x3 bottles. For many wine connoisseurs, choosing the time of perfect maturity and then drinking the wine at its peak on a special occasion is the greatest joy. However, it also requires a little practice and you should also seek the advice of experts or the winemaker from whom the wine was bought. Specialist books or special wine seminars on the subject are also helpful.
From which century is the oldest still liquid wine in the world?
The oldest still liquid wine dates back to the 4th century. The bottle was discovered in a grave in 1867 and can now be seen in the Historical Museum of the Palatinate in Speyer.
Varietals
More recipe ideas
with pear wedges Chicken breast strips
with pear wedges
- 500 Gramm Hähnchenbrustfilet
- 2 reife Birnen
- 200 ml Birnensaft
- 100 ml Sahne
- 1 ganze Zwiebel
- 4 EL Olivenöl
- nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
Cut the chicken breast fillet into strips. Peel the onion and cut into cubes. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the meat in it. Add the diced onion and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Wash and peel the pears, remove the skin, cut into wedges and sauté in the pan. Deglaze with the pear juice and allow to reduce slightly.
<p
<p>Finally, add the cream and season to taste.
- Müller-Thurgau (halbtrocken & feinherb)
- Kerner (halbtrocken & feinherb)
with strong red wine Wild boar ragout
with strong red wine
- 800 Gramm Fleisch vom Wildschwein (Keule o. Schulter)
- 80 Gramm Bauchspeck
- 100 Gramm Zwiebeln
- 60 Gramm Karotten
- 60 Gramm Staudensellerie
- 1 TL Tomatenmark
- 200 ml kräftigen Rotwein
- 100 ml Portwein
- 1 Liter braune Wildbrühe
- 1 TL Preiselbeeren
- 1 EL geschlagene Sahne o. Sauerrahm
- 20 Gramm Mehl
- 1 Stück Lorbeerblatt
- je 1 Zweig Rosmarin und Thymian
- 4 zerdrückte Wacholderbeeren
- 1/2 TL Senf
- nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
Clean and wash the vegetables and cut into evenly sized cubes.
Remove the fat, skin and tendons from the wild boar meat and cut into 3 cm cubes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with flour. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the meat on all sides. Add the vegetables and diced bacon and fry. Add the tomato purée and stir fry. Deglaze with the red wine and port, reduce and pour in the brown game stock. Add the spices to the meat in a small spice bag and leave the ragout to simmer in the oven at 160°C for approx. 1½ hours.
Then remove the pieces of meat, remove the spices, strain the sauce, add the cranberries and mustard and leave to reduce for about 15 minutes. If necessary, thicken with a little cornflour. Serve with the whipped cream.
- Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir (trocken)
the "Frankfurt Green Sauce" Quiche with herbs
the "Frankfurt Green Sauce"
- 200 Gramm Mehl
- 100 Gramm Butter
- je 1 Bund Kräuter für Frankfurter Grüne Sauce (Petersilie, Kresse, Kerbel, Borretsch, Sauerampfer, Schnittlauch, Pimpernelle)
- 100 - 125 Gramm Schwarzwälder Schinken
- 7 ganze Eier
- 125 ml Sahne
- 100 Gramm Frischkäse
- 1 EL Zitronensaft
- nach Geschmack Salz & Pfeffer
Knead the flour and butter with 4 tbsp water and a teaspoon of salt to form a smooth dough. Line a mould with it and leave to cool for 30 minutes.</p
<p>Hard boil 4 eggs. Wash, drain and finely chop the herbs from the Frankfurt green sauce. Cut the ham into wafer-thin slices and spread on the pastry base. Chop the hard-boiled eggs into small
and spread over the top. Mix the 3 eggs, cream and fresh cheese and season with 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper, then fold in the herbs. Spread the mixture over the pastry base.
Bake at 180 °C (gas mark 4) on the middle shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes.
- Riesling (trocken)
with white wine Cauliflower soup
with white wine
- 3 Stück Schalotten
- 500 Gramm Blumenkohl
- 20 Gramm Butter
- 1 TL Fenchelsaat
- 50 ml Weißwein
- 800 ml Gemüsebrühe
- 100 ml Schlagsahne
- 1 Prise Zucker
- nach Geschmack Salz & Pfeffer
Peel the shallots and cut into slices.
Clean and chop the cauliflower.
Melt the butter in a pan, sauté the shallots with the fennel seeds over a medium heat for 3 minutes until colourless. Add the cauliflower, sauté for 2 minutes, season with salt and sugar.
<p
<p>Deglaze with white wine, bring to the boil and top up with vegetable stock and whipping cream. Simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes.
Blend with a hand blender, adding stock if necessary to reach the desired consistency.
Serve drizzled with a few drops of olive oil.
- Silvaner (trocken)
