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
Wine recommendation: A white wine with a mellow flavour such as Pinot Gris or Chardonnay. Asparagus risotto al scampi
Risotto with green asparagus, scampi and parmesan.
- 400g Grüner Spargel
- 200g Küchenfertige Scampis
- 200g Risotto-Reis
- 250ml Trockener Weißwein
- 500ml Gemüsebrühe
- 50g Parmesan
- 1 Zwiebel
- 4EL Olivenöl
- 1Dose Safranfäden
- etwas Salz und Pfeffer
Peel the lower third of the asparagus and cut off the ends. Cut into 2 cm long pieces, cook in boiling salted water for approx. 5 minutes and drain. Cut the onion into thin slices and finely chop the garlic.
<p
<p>Heat 2 tbsp of oil, add the onion slices, garlic and rice
.
sauté until translucent. Deglaze with the white wine. Season with salt, pepper
and saffron to flavour. Add a little stock, bring to the boil and simmer, stirring constantly. Gradually add the remaining stock and simmer until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. The rice should still have a bite on the inside.
Wash the scampi and grate the Parmesan. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the scampi for approx. 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the asparagus, scampi and parmesan into the risotto and serve.
Wine recommendation:
A white wine with a mellow flavour such as Pinot Gris or Chardonnay. Alternatively, a well-chilled, light Trollinger or Blanc de Noir from Pinot Noir.
<p- Pinot Gris (extra brut)
- Chardonnay (extra brut)
- Trollinger (brut)
- Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir (brut)
with semi-frozen goat's milk Lavender waffles
with semi-frozen goat's milk
- 2 Stück Eigelb
- 60 ml Ziegenmilch
- 500 Gramm weiße Kuvertüre
- 125 ml Sahne
- Abrieb und Saft einer halben Orange
- 2 cl Tresterbrand
- 8 Blatt Minze
- 125 Gramm Mehl
Semi-frozen goat's milk: Beat the egg yolks and goat's milk in a bowl over a hot bain-marie until creamy. Remove from the bain-marie and beat the cream until cold. Flavour with the zest of the orange and the marc brandy.
Liquefy the couverture in a bain-marie and stir into the lukewarm egg mixture. Whip the cream until stiff and carefully fold in. Line a parfait tin (triangular or gutter shape) with cling film. Pour in the mixture and smooth out. Cover well with cling film and leave to freeze in the freezer for at least 8 hours.
About 20 minutes before serving, remove the mould from the freezer and turn the parfait out of the mould. Remove the foil and cut the semi-frozen parfait into 8 slices.
<p
<p>Lavender wafers: Lightly mash the butter in a mixing bowl with a fork. Add the sugar and stir a little. Add half of the milk, the lavender sugar and the baking powder. Stir in the eggs and finally the rest of the milk. Mix everything well with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes to create a homogeneous, slightly liquid mixture. Bake the batter in batches in a waffle iron until golden brown.</p
<p>Arrange 2 slices of semifreddo on each waffle on a flat plate and decorate with mint leaves.
- Riesling (halbtrocken & feinherb)
with chanterelle and onion leek, served with potato and grilled cheese ragout in grilled tomato Chop of Hunsrück veal
with chanterelle and onion leek, served with potato and grilled cheese ragout in grilled tomato
- 4 x 300 Gramm Kotelettes
- 250 Gramm Pfifferlinge
- 4 große Kartoffeln
- 2 große Grilltomaten
- 180 Gramm Flammkäse
- 50 Gramm Knollensellerie
- 200 ml Spätburgunder
- 200 ml Sahne
- 50 Gramm Butterschmalz
- 2 EL Butter
- 1 EL Rapsöl
- 6 Stück Lauchzwiebeln
- 1 kleine Knoblauchzehe
- je 1 Zweig Thymian & Rosmarin
- je 1 TL Majoran & Oregano
- nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
Peel the potatoes, celery and garlic clove, crush the garlic and cut the potatoes and celery into small cubes. Heat the rapeseed oil in a pan, add the potato and celery cubes, sauté briefly and top up with ⅔ of the cream. Season with salt, pepper and the crushed garlic and leave to simmer for approx. 6 minutes. Add the oregano, marjoram,
add a little thyme and the diced flambé cheese and remove from the oven immediately.
Season the veal chops with pepper, fry in the pan in hot clarified butter for approx. 3 to 4 minutes on both sides and then cook in the oven at 160 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes. Then leave the meat to rest briefly.
Cut the grilled tomatoes in half, remove the skin, place on a baking tray and fill with the potato and flambé ragout. Place the baking tray in the oven with the chops for approx. 6 - 7 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of butter and the sprig of rosemary to the roasting mixture, deglaze with the Pinot Noir, reduce a little and refine with the remaining cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Clean the chanterelles and spring onions. Wash the spring onions well, cut into 5 cm pieces, blanch briefly in salted water and rinse in ice water. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a pan, add the chanterelles and sauté for 2 - 3 minutes. Add the spring onions and the rest of the thyme and season with salt and pepper.
<p- Riesling (trocken)
with semi-dry wines Flädlesuppe
with semi-dry wines
- 1 Bund Schnittlauch
- 1 Liter Fleischbrühe
- 150 Gramm Weizenmehl
- 300 ml Milch
- nach Belieben Speckschwarte zum ausreiben der Pflanne
- Etwas Salz
Make a smooth, not too thick batter from the flour, milk, eggs and a pinch of salt. Heat a heavy frying pan on a high heat, rub with bacon fat, pour in a small dollop of batter, allow to spread and fry thin pancakes (flädle).
<p
<p>Leave the pancakes to cool, halve and cut into thin strips.
Place in clear, very hot meat stock and serve immediately.
<p- Trollinger (halbtrocken & feinherb)
