# What temp for bulk aging



## tonyportale (Jan 11, 2012)

Hello,
I'm not sure if I'm in the right forum for this question but here goes.
What temp do I need to keep in my room for bulk aging my WE Kit wines in 3 / 6 gal. Carboys?

Thank you,
Tony


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## PCharles (Jan 11, 2012)

tonyportale said:


> Hello,
> I'm not sure if I'm in the right forum for this question but here goes.
> What temp do I need to keep in my room for bulk aging my WE Kit wines in 3 / 6 gal. Carboys?
> 
> ...



I found this on Winemaker Magazine. I'll include the link to the article below the text. 

"Cool temperatures prevent heat damage (browning and oxidation) and keep the aging process at a reasonable pace (about 55–65 °F or 12–17 ºC). Below this range, wine will age very slowly, and above it, wine will age more rapidly. If you can’t put your wine in an area cooler than this, don’t worry: anything below 70 ºF (22 ºC) is reasonable for at least a year or two of aging, if the humidity isn’t too low, and the temperature doesn’t fluctuate." 

http://www.winemakermag.com/stories/article/indices/7-aging/58-aging-your-kit-wine-kits


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## winemaker_3352 (Jan 11, 2012)

Well the more important thing here - unless you have the means to keep a single room a different temp than the rest of your home - is to keep the temp constant - the up and down fluctuation is what will cause you more harm. The warmer temp during bulk aging will just age it faster - cooler temps age slower.


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## robie (Jan 11, 2012)

PCharles said:


> I found this on Winemaker Magazine. I'll include the link to the article below the text.
> 
> http://www.winemakermag.com/stories/article/indices/7-aging/58-aging-your-kit-wine-kits



Good article. One thing I have heard is that lately, someone has proven that vibration is not as big a factor as first thought. Maybe more will comne out on it later.

Another thing not discussed is that the bigger the container (volume) of wine, the slower it ages, all other factors being the same. This means a wine aged in a carboy will age slower than the same wine aged in a bottle.

As was mentioned in the article, the higher the storage temperature, the faster the wine ages. So, wine ages faster, the higher the temperature. This can be a plus, but also a minus. It does age faster at higher temps, but it doesn't age as well. 

I recently ordered a bottle of red at a restaurant. It was very flat and lifeless; almost no taste or aroma. I asked the waiter what was up. He eventually said the wine had been stored in a basement, next to a large, always hot motor for air conditioning. My opinion is the wine had stayed warm so long that in a short time, the heat simulated aging to a point where it was like a 20 year old wine, past its prime.


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## djrockinsteve (Jan 11, 2012)

I bulk age around 50-60 degrees. During this time (6-12 months) I will have tartaric crystals fallout. My carboys are filled to the knuckle and sulfited. 

I've had wine 6 years old still pretty good dispute August temp. increases. Some things you just can't help. This rise is short lived and the increase is slow. 

Cooler the better.


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## mrtree (Jan 16, 2012)

PCharles said:


> I found this on Winemaker Magazine. I'll include the link to the article below the text.
> 
> "Cool temperatures prevent heat damage (browning and oxidation) and keep the aging process at a reasonable pace (about 55–65 °F or 12–17 ºC). Below this range, wine will age very slowly, and above it, wine will age more rapidly. If you can’t put your wine in an area cooler than this, don’t worry: anything below 70 ºF (22 ºC) is reasonable for at least a year or two of aging, if the humidity isn’t too low, and the temperature doesn’t fluctuate."
> 
> http://www.winemakermag.com/stories/article/indices/7-aging/58-aging-your-kit-wine-kits



Nice article. I have been wondering about this as I am only on my second kit. I am most concerned about the humidity levels in my basement through the winter. I live in NY and things are pretty dry around here this time of year. Keeping the humidity up in the basement would be a real chore not to mention less than ideal. Wondering what other folks do in the drier climates this time of year.

I have one kit in bottles and the other is on its secondary ferment. Concerned about my bottled batch and the very low humidity.


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## FTC Wines (Jan 17, 2012)

PC, Great article, I never though LOW humidity would be a problem for me. My basement is cool year round, 60* to 68*, but humidity is 38-50%. all carboys under air locks, all bottles sealed with natural [pieced] corks lying on their sides. My oldest wine is now 4 yrs. old & I don't see any problems with the corks or loss to evaporation thru the corks, but I will watch closer now. Thanks again for the article, Roy


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## discalaaz (Jul 23, 2022)

I had my wine bulking in the bathroom, I wish I had a wine cellar but I don't. The temperature was at 78 degrees. What I did was to put it in the bath tub with about 4 inches of water, wrapped a wet towel around the carboy, the wine is now it's reading at 72 degrees. I make sure the towel says wet.


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## NorCal (Jul 23, 2022)

PCharles said:


> I found this on Winemaker Magazine. I'll include the link to the article below the text.
> 
> "Cool temperatures prevent heat damage (browning and oxidation) and keep the aging process at a reasonable pace (about 55–65 °F or 12–17 ºC). Below this range, wine will age very slowly, and above it, wine will age more rapidly. If you can’t put your wine in an area cooler than this, don’t worry: anything below 70 ºF (22 ºC) is reasonable for at least a year or two of aging, if the humidity isn’t too low, and the temperature doesn’t fluctuate."
> 
> Aging Your Kit Wines - WineMakerMag.com


I agree with this, 65-70 good, 55-65 better, 55 best. I target my wines to be consumed within 5 years. Corks with a 5 year life and storage temps 65-70 degrees have worked well for my 3.6-3.9 pH wines.
This year’s battle:


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