Does Cellaring Really Matter?

[jsbeckton]

So, when I started making kit wine in 2016 I read about the importance of cellaring so I built a temperature controlled cellar, and kept it at 55F. After a few years I pulled a few bottles to see what the difference would be after a few more years without the controlled temp. These pulled bottles were kept in about the worst condition possible, in my boiler room where the temp swings wildly and the light is often on.

Well, 18 months later I tried my first side by side between the cellared wine and the “boiler room” wine. The tasting was blind for both my wife and I and the wine was a 2018 WE Stags Leap Merlot.

Well, I am not one for flowery descriptions, but I am also not a huge fan of the wine in question....but we both thought the wines were fairly similar but gave the slight edge to the boiler room wine in our blind taste tests!

I will compare again in another 2 years but I found it interesting that cellaring this kit wine hasn’t yet showed any measurable benefit. Of course, it’s just one sample. Anyone do anything similar? If so, what did you find? Wondering if a all grape wine would show a better result.

 

[NorCal]

When building my wine box I researched the impact of storage temperature on the aging and spoiling of wine. The elements that were repeated in the articles was minimizing the change in temperature and the peak temperature. For storage of my homemade wine that is meant to be consumed within 5 years, I was comfortable with storage temps under 70 degrees. The wine age is accelerated at 70 degrees versus 55, but that could be a good thing as red wine often needs some age to come around.

 

[jsbeckton]

I thought that a constant temp was key which is why I choose to put it in the boiler room, as opposed to just any room. That room varies between 65F and 85F, every 6hrs or so over the winter when the boiler kicks on. In the summer it’s probably about 78 most of the time.

I half expected the wine to be ruined, and half expected it to be relatively unaffected. Go figure.

 

[bstnh1]

We moved in 2015 and included in that move was my entire wine cellar, about 400 or 500 bottles. The wine wound up being stored, unexpectedly, in the garage, bottles standing upright, for about a month when temps ran as high as 90+ degrees. I was sure that would take a huge toll on the wine. It didn't seem to have any affect at all. I still have some of that wine and it tastes fine.

 

[NorCal]

I thought that a constant temp was key which is why I choose to put it in the boiler room, as opposed to just any room. That room varies between 65F and 85F, every 6hrs or so over the winter when the boiler kicks on. In the summer it’s probably about 78 most of the time.

I half expected the wine to be ruined, and half expected it to be relatively unaffected. Go figure.

The 55 vs. 70 degrees referred to how the wine evolves over time. I think those big swings in temps would put your cork to the test for sure. Maybe get away with it some years, some of the time, maybe not.

 

[Rice_Guy]

you are talking about a 20 degree swing, as the temperature warms there will be some pressure built up which pushes the pores on the cork outward, ,, as the temperature cools everything contracts which will pull the contents of the pores on the cork in. ,, like breathing
If natural cork transmits 0.010 cc O2 per day in a university lab controlled storage test situation we should expect that your wine is at least four times the “normal” based on the swings per day plus another multiplier since the swing is greater than I would see in an ambient food warehouse. An oxidative wine has a shorter quality life span than a reductive wine. The color turns brown/ fruit aroma disappears/ tannin becomes more polymerized and pleasing. As @NorCal posted in a red grape wine this can make it smoother fast, but for most other wines this doesn’t help.

That room varies between 65F and 85F.

 

[jsbeckton]

These bottles use natural corks, and thus far I couldn’t see any difference in the cork that were pulled and no change in color. Something to note is that the ambient temp is swinging 20F but I am not really sure how much the actual wine or small ullage is swinging as I have no way to measure but it’s probably not nearly as much.