Much has been written about the right ways to store wine so that it does not spoil over time. In previous posts we have talked about this topic, but it is always good to take up the recommendations to keep wine at home. A constant temperature, the isolation of the bottles from light and humidity or conservation in an odor-free space are some of the basic recommendations for keeping wine at home in perfect conditions.
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The best scenario is to have a cellar where you can control the temperature, but this is not always easy, either due to lack of space or the cost of implementing a place in a house. In addition to the points described above, there is another important aspect to properly preserve a bottle of wine: the position of the bottle.
Why are wine bottles stored horizontally? The answer is very simple, so that the cork remains moist. The objective of the cork stopper is, as its name suggests, to close a bottle. And close it properly, that is, in a sealed manner so that no leakage occurs.
Cork is a material that is losing moisture over time. This drying can cause its diameter to decrease and lose its elasticity, and its capacity to close the bottle tightly. None of this will happen while the cork remains moistened with the wine itself.
If the bottle were not closed in perfect conditions, it would allow the oxygen to enter the interior of the container and favor the oxidation of wine very quickly. It is therefore very important to use a closure that perfectly fits the neck of the bottle and, in this sense, the cork is a great ally.
It is just as important for a cork to close well as to allow a slight micro-oxygenation. The cork stopper is formed by 90% air, trapped between the lenticels that make up its structure. To insert the cap into the bottle, it must first be compressed longitudinally, since the original diameter of the cap is greater than that of the neck of the bottle. In this way, the stopper will subsequently tend to recover the initial diameter, achieving within minutes a perfectly tight seal.
During the first two years of the life of the wine in the bottle there is a slow but continuous release of that oxygen proper to the composition of the stopper. This small microoxigenation contributed by the cork favors the correct conservation of the wine, avoiding the appearance of the colloquially called “closed aromas”. After these two initial years, the plug becomes a tight seal without any oxygen supply.
However, not all wines have to be stored horizontally. This is the case of those closed with synthetic or screw-cap, which are supposed to consume faster. In the case of synthetic stoppers, gaseous exchange occurs with the outside, so that the evolution of the bottles is faster and therefore they are not the most suitable for the conservation of wine for several years in the bottle.
Currently there are materials with which screw caps are made in which a slight micro-oxygenation is allowed. In addition, more and more studies and experiences show that a good screw cap can perform a job very similar to a natural cork in a medium period of time.
The silicone stoppers do not allow transpiration between the outside and the inside of the bottle, normally they are used for wines of immediate consumption, because with time the dreaded reduced aromas appear. Its elasticity does not vary regardless of whether they are wet or dry, so in this case there is no problem in keeping the bottles upright.
If you need to know more details about the conservation and the perfect service of the wines … visit the web www.cortahojas.com and discover at what temperature to serve the wines to enjoy them to the fullest.
Learn more about Chilean wines and Premium Chilean wines at www.cortahojas.com