FAQ-Wine AccessoriesQuestion: Why are my corks turning red?
Answer:
Your corks are probably turning red because wine has gotten between the cork and the sides of the bottle neck. This happens because when you force a cork into a bottle, the air between the cork and the wine gets compressed. If you leave the bottle standing upright for 2-3 days, the pressure will work its way out around the cork. If, on the other hand, you lay the bottle down immediately, the pressure pushes the wine (instead of the compressed air) out around the cork. Leave your bottles upright 2-3 days, then lay them on their sides and watch them for a few days thereafter. The bottles should not leak. If they do, pull the corks and put in new ones. Make sure your corks are the correct size for a good fit....Click to Read full Answer
Question: How long should I store a wine before I drink it?
Answer:
Although the concentrate kits can be done quickly, some winemakers elect to store the wine longer before they start to drink it. The reason is because a good wine can become a great wine when you allow it to age. However, this is all a matter of taste to the individual. Some wine drinkers really enjoy a bold, strong, new tasting wine, and others want a very smooth, laid back, easy drinking wine. Try a bottle of your wine from time to time until you are happy with the flavor. There is no set time frame on when you will enjoy the wine that you made.The following are some general considerations for wine storage.
...Click to Read full AnswerQuestion: How do I store my wine for a long time?
Answer:
A few simple things that you can do makes the difference:
Temperature
The temperature that you store a wine plays a big role in how well it will taste in the future. You want a cool, consistent place to keep the wine. The ideal temp to store a wine is 52° F. A lot of people can use their basement floors for storing wine as the floor tends to stay a consistent temperature of 52 to 55° F throughout the year. For those in areas that do not offer basements, a wine cooler is a good idea to invest in. A wine cellar would be ideal, but not everyone wants to take up their living room with a walk in cellar.Humidity
Let’s face it; most of us don’t have a way to control this one too much. If you can keep the humidity around 60 to 70%, you are doing great. Do your best to keep the humidity up, or use a synthetic cork. The reason why you need to worry about humidity is because of the corks. If you use a standard cork, it can dry out over time. As the cork dries out it can shrink, which will allow more air to transfer into the wine.
Sorbate
Using Potassium Sorbate just before you bottle will help preserve the wine for a longer period of time. Look at sorbate like what lemon juice does for apples. The citric acid from the lemon juice helps prevent the apple from oxidizing.
Vertical vs Horizontal
You want to place your wine bottle on its side when you are using standard wine corks. The reason is that the wine will help keep the cork moist, so that it won’t shrink and dry out. Again, if your corks shrinks, it lets more air in that will oxidize your wine quicker.
Some Thoughts
Just follow the suggestions above and your wine will be able to store for many years without any problems. The use of a wine rack can help make the storage of your wine easier to access, and can take up less space. We offer several different styles of racks that can work with just about anyone’s décor.
...Click to Read full AnswerQuestion: What are the proper conditions to store my wine?
Answer:
The main concerns to storing your wine are temperature, temperature stability, humidity, ventilation, and darkness. Wine is best stored between 40-65 °F, optimally between 55-57 °F. Even more important is temperature stability. The temperature in your storage area shouldn't fluctuate more than 5 °F in a year. This keeps oxygen from being drawn into your bottle, upsetting the freshness or even spoiling your wine. Maintaining this sort of stability can be difficult to achieve, so simply do the best you can for those long-term storage wines. Also, keep your wine within 50% - 80% humidity. Finally, you should keep your wine out of sunlight as the light waves can breakdown the more complex particles in your wine. Packaging your wine in dark bottles (green or brown) will help protect your wine from those light rays....Click to Read full Answer
Question: Why does my wine have a brown tint to it?
Answer:
The reason your wine browns is because it is oxidizing. The biggest cause of early oxidation in homemade wines is the failure to use sulfites, or not using them properly. The second biggest cause of early oxidation is improper handling of the wine during fermentation, rackings, aging, bottling, and storage. All wines oxidize, but well-made, well-protected, and well-balanced wines resist oxidation for many, many years, and exceptional wines can last for 50-100 years without doing so....Click to Read full Answer
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