# Aging at 72 degrees?



## Tree Frog (Apr 12, 2005)

Living in the deep south (Georgia) with no basement, I havedon't have acool place to age my kit wines. Pretty much limited to the 72 degree range of my townhouse. Can I still get good quality wine or will the warm temperatures ruin the wines?


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## masta (Apr 12, 2005)

Welcome Tree Frog...and a red eye tree frog! My 6 yr old boy loves the red eye tree frog book...and I have read it many times to him!


Aging at 72 degrees will not ruin the wine but it will age faster than it would at a lower temp.


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## Tree Frog (Apr 12, 2005)

Your welcome is appreciated masta!


Questions:


You say "_72 degrees will not ruin the wine but it will age faster_". How much faster? Just a little bit faster? Twice as fast?


What about quality? Will aging at this high temp significantly lower the wine quality?


Thanks!


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## masta (Apr 12, 2005)

*Info from Robert Mondavi:*


*Storing Wine*


Optimum conditions for storing wine include stable temperatures around 55°, humidity of approximately 80%, and darkness -- the exact environment of a cave, or of many a cool, damp basement.


The ideal cellar or wine storage temperature is 55-65 degrees F. Cool temperatures slow the aging process, increasing complexity and varietal character of the wine over time. Likewise, high temperatures speed the aging process, preventing a wine from developing complexity over time. However, it is preferable to store wine at a constant temperature which may a be a bit warmer or cooler than the ideal 55-65 degrees F. Temperature fluctuations cause wine to expand and contract, which causes the cork to push out and pull in and eventually may loosen and expose the wine to oxygen.


Humidity is also important when storing wine. Humidity levels over 80% may encourage mold, while extremely dry conditions may cause high levels of evaporation and exposure to oxygen, spoiling the wine.


Wine stored in darkness is more likely to retain its clarity. Light reacts to proteins in the wine to form a haze as well as other unpleasant effects, such as off aromas and flavors.


At home, basements are usually ideal for storing wine because of their cool, constant temperature and darkness. If no basement is available, consider storing wine in a little-used closet in an air-conditioned part of your home. If you are planning a serious wine collection and have no suitable storage location, wine storage systems are available from a number of manufacturers. These offer ideal insulation as well as adjustable temperature and humidity conditions.


Some more info:


*Average Temperature
*The ideal temperature for wine storage is 13ºC to 14ºC (55ºF to 57ºF). 




Wine is a complex and fragile balance of amino acids, phenols, carbohydrates and other chemical compounds. Aging wine is a series of different chemical reactions between these compounds and the minute quantities of oxygen allowed into the bottle through the cork. These reactions are easily affected by physical and chemical changes taking place in the environment. Since the speed of the average chemical reaction increases with temperature (the rate doubles for every 10ºC increase in temperature), wine hardly ages at all if stored below about 10ºC (50ºF). Place it at 78ºF, and an age worthy wine that would normally require ten years of careful aging, may be past its prime in just a few months. 

Now some of you may be thinking, “Why not just store wine in my closet? It will simply age faster, and I can enjoy it sooner?” Bottles stored to peak quality at higher than proper cellar temperatures will always be inferior to a bottle stored to peak at the correct temperature. Period. And here’s why. Whereas all the various chemical reactions accelerate with rising temperature, each reaction accelerates at a different rate, causing undesirable changes. For example, heat causes the solids (tannin and colour) to drop out at higher rates than the sugars and acids are reacting, causing an imbalance. So, relying on shorter cellaring times is NOT a solution.

On the other end of the scale, wines stored at very low temperatures will age much slower. Although they may not be damaged from a temperature standpoint (as long as it is above freezing), these wines are commonly subject to the damaging effects of low humidity levels and temperature fluctuations usually associated with these environments (i.e. the refrigerator). As long as the humidity level is high enough (i.e. &gt;50%) to maintain cork integrity, and temperature fluctuations are avoided, low temperatures should only slow down the aging process.
*Edited by: masta *


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## Hippie (Apr 12, 2005)

Tree Frog, I have the same situation as you. My house is normally about 68* in the winter and 74* in the summer. Most of my wines are in a bedroom closet. The wines have not suffered as far as I can tell.


Welcome.


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## Berrywine (Apr 12, 2005)

same here... do the best you can... it'll work






berry


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