Million Air Winter 2022

INFLUENCE CRAFTMANSHIP

Behind the scenes of storing fi ne wine

Octavian has over $ 1 bn worth of fi ne wine stored 1 00 ft underground in an old stone mine — Victoria Daskal explores the wonderful world of fi ne wine storage

Fine wine is delicate. It requires special care to stay intact and, more important, to improve with age . Many devoted wine lovers struggle to meet those conditions, particularly those who live in cities, where storage is limited. Fortunately, there are myriad wine storage options from home wine rooms or cellars and wine cabinets to professional storage. Wine collectors, investors and budding wine enthusiasts would bene fi t from understanding the right conditions for wine preservation, and knowing how to ensure they are met by whichever solution(s) they select. If only for their peace of mind, and to guarantee when they open the long-awaited bottle, that it will taste its absolute best. Optimal wine storage means sustaining a constant year-round temperature, a high level of humidity and adequate ventilation, with no light and no vibration. The objective of this environment is to allow the quality of the wine to maintain and, ideally, improve as it ages at a steady pace. Most storage experts agree: The ideal temperature for wine storage is 53°-54°F (12°-13°C), and the drinking windows of stored wines will accelerate at higher temperatures but not in a bene fi cial way. Consistency is just as important because even a small spike — such as a few hot summer days — at over 86°F (30°C) is enough to cook the wine. Studies have shown that exposure to temperatures over 68°F (20°C ), even for short periods, can be detrimental to the wine’s color, clarity, aromas and taste. A relatively high humidity is needed to ensure the natural cork closure does not dry and shrink, letting excessive air into the bottle. The optimal range is between 65% and 75% to protect the wine; it is quite easily maintained. It’s important to not exceed 80% humidity, though, or there will be a risk of damage to labels and to wooden racks, as well as provide a haven for a mold outbreak. Clean air ventilation is necessary to minimize the growth of mildew on capsules, labels and racking. Elevated humidity combined with limited air fl ow is the disastrous recipe for a mold outbreak in wine storage. Let there be no light — direct light, whether it’s natural or arti fi cial, can cause a light strike that damages the wine’s aromas and fl avors. Extended exposure can also raise the temperature inside the bottle, causing heat damage to the wine. The aromas and fl avors will deteriorate, and the color itself will dull and darken quickly. Any unnecessary movement or vibration can also negatively impact the wine’s quality. It both disturbs natural sediment that may be present in the bottles, as well as causes invisible complex chemical

Wine cabinets, on the other hand, are speci fi cally designed with the purpose of long-term wine storage. They usually have just one temperature zone, which re fl ects their primary use as a place to mature wine. They also tend to have much larger capacities and are more expensive than wine fridges. In addition to controlling temperature, they truly address the main factors of long-term wine storage that negatively a ff ect the quality and fl avor of wine: light, vibration, air fl ow and low humidity. These become much more critical when storing wine for years, rather than months, before drinking. EuroCave makes a large range of units, from classic wine preservation cabinets like the Royale, to serving-temperature wine fridges both for consumers and professionals, as well as hybrid options like Pure. The Royale, which EuroCave christened as ‘the world’s best wine cabinet’ upon release in late 2018, is indeed the top of the line for long-term wine storage cabinets. It boasts vast fi lters to ensure the air inside the systems is pristine, and it is completely insulated from any vibration. “The temperature inside the Royale is guaranteed to be perfect, no matter what’s happening outside,” says Pascal Marchand, director of EuroCave.

reactions that alter the wine’s aging. Vibration can come from public transportation (like trains and subways) near homes, from appliances (like washers and dryers) within the home — even from storing wine on yachts too close to the engine. Dedicated wine lovers seek out home solutions in the form of wine cabinets or wine fridges, or by creating a cellar space. But what are the di ff erences between these? Generally, a wine cooler is a short-term storage appliance that keeps a variety of wines ready to serve at their ideal temperature; it's also often referred to as a wine fridge. Most models come with dual or even triple-temperature zones that allow for storing red, white and sparkling wine at their unique serving temperatures. Wine fridges come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they range in price from relatively cheap (under $100) to rather expensive (around $5,000 and up). One feature to look out for, besides the criteria mentioned above, would be the possibility to rearrange shelves to accommodate di ff erent formats and bottle shapes (like magnums and Champagne bottles); another is how many temperature zones it has. It’s generally not advisable to use wine coolers for long-term storage; leaving the wines at extreme temperature ranges will harm the wines’ maturation.