Tag Archive | "Sediment"

Cherishing and Caring for Wine


Over the last few years, wine consumption has become steadily more popular.

With more and more money going into wine both as an investment and for later consumption, the history of the wine will always be point of conversation.

With this in mind, many people often wonder how to properly store their wine, and maintain its individual characteristics and attributes.

Proper wine storage is crucial.

Correct storage tends to lead to euphoria, while improper storage often results in depression.

Few experiences match the enjoyment to be had when unleashing a well aged bottle of wine. It is a joyous occasion indeed, resulting in merriment unsurpassed by other worldly indulgences. Whereas opening a vessel containing poorly stored wine can be a saddening experience. Often, drinking a bottle of wine that was poorly stored can be likened to drinking vinegar.

Ironically, vinegar can be the result of wine which has been tainted by vinegar fly during fermentation.

So, it\’s safe to conclude that a fifty year old bottle of vintage vinegar is a disappointing experience indeed.

To properly store wine, you’ll need to take several factors into consideration. Those being humidity, temperature, lighting, the cleanliness of your storage area, the angle of the bottle while it is stored and any possible movement of the bottle on the rack.

The temperature is the most important, as you should keep it around 50 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. This way, the lower temperature helps to age the wine. Moderate any fluctuation in temperature. Do not allow the ambient temperature to change drastically, or to become too hot.

In a nutshell, as long as the temperature doesn’t go to high and it changes slowly, your wine should be quite alright.

The proper level of humidity for storing wine should be around 70%, although it is perfectly accepted to keep it 10% above or below the 70% level. If you have excessive humidity, the labels can easily rot or mold, which affects the wine’s value. On the other hand, if the humidity gets too low, around 50%, the cork could shrink and bring air into the wine, which ruins it in little to no time at all.

The angle that wine is stored is important as well. If the wine stays in contact with the cork during storage, the cork won’t dry out. If the wine doesn’t stay in contact with the cork, the cork may dry out and allow air into the wine.

You must also keep wine out of direct light, as light ruins any type of wine. Light also causes the wine to age prematurely, making it essential that you store your wine in a dark location.

To prevent damage to the wine from sediment, you should also store wine in a location that is free of vibration. If you store wine in places that are free from vibration, it will give the sediment in the bottle ample time to settle. Vibrations are murder to good wine. As sediment becomes unsettled in the wine, it can ruin the wine by contaminating it to the point where it becomes impossible to consume without looking like you just stubbed your toe.

To protect the quality and investment of your wine, storage location is also an important consideration.

Storing your wine in a proper location will bring the best taste.

As opposed to the disappointment you will experience if you wait several years to open a bottle of fine wine, only to find that it is perfectly aged, vintage vinegar.

Prevention of this calamity is simple; just follow the guidelines listed above.

Wine is easy to store and maintain, it just takes the right conditions and location, as well as a little bit of interest on the part of the cellar master. Everyone loves some fine wine every now and then – which is why storage and care are crucial.

Posted in Wine StorageComments (0)

Wine Racks: The Solution For Practical Wine Storage


In order to get the best benefits out of good wines, they first need to sufficiently mature. Wines only get better with time. They must be stored properly during this period of maturing, as factors such as humidity, temperature, and proper lighting play an imperative role. The easiest and most effective way to store wine is to use a wine rack. Wine racks are to be selected carefully, keeping in mind which size of rack that you will require.

There are many choices of wine racks. However, the horizontal types of racks are normally preferred to those that are vertical, especially for wines that will be stored for a long period of time. Vertical racks do tend to dry the cork, which will end up spoiling the wine, just as many tilted racks do. Horizontal racks won’t dry up the cork and allow any unnecessary air contact, leaving your wine which is stored in a horizontal rack to be totally absent of sediment when it is poured. Another benefit is that it is also inexpensive to maintain.

The very wide range of wine racks are normally made of either wood or metal, that can be kept sitting on the floor, or they can be suspended from the ceiling.

A wooden wine rack has an advantage over a metal rack, as it can provide much needed extra storage space. They are strong and hard, and are aesthetically pleasing, mainly because they are made of cedar, maple, and mahogany. The wide range of these wine racks includes Diamond Bin, Rectangular Bin, and the Curved Corner Rack. If none of these are appealing to your creative nature, then you can purchase your own wooden kit which is all ready to make up with all the tools needed, making it very easy to install. This will allow you to create your own design for a rack that you want.

Wine racks which are smaller in size are suitable for homes and personal collections, but larger businesses will usually require larger racks to store larger quantities and varieties. Wine racks are very affordable, with prices that can range anywhere from $20 to $1000. For most home uses of racks, you can look to spend in the neighborhood of $35-$300, which all depends on the style and size of what you are looking for. There is a wine rack for all your needs, it is up to you to find that rack and begin storage.

Posted in Wine StorageComments (0)

The Importance of Racking


The process of racking involves siphoning the wine away from the sediment. Sediment is primarily comprised of inactive or dead yeast cells. While yeast is beneficial to the must in the beginning, over time it becomes multiplied many times over. As each new generation of yeast is produced, older generations die off. Most of what you will see at the bottom of your fermentation container is dead yeast cells.

As the fermentation nears the end of the cycle, there should be a significant amount of active yeast cells which are beginning to wind down because they are running out of fuel; or sugar. After the sugars have become consumed the active yeast will begin to starve and feed on itself. An enzyme will be produced that will break down the inactive yeast cells. The purpose of this is to release the nutrients in the dead yeast cells that can be used by the yeast cells that are still active. This process is called autolysis. Over a period of time, an otherwise perfectly good batch of wine may be ruined as a result of this process.

Racking is also important because it can assist in the clarification of the wine. If wine is not racked, the end result will be wine that may be clear on top; however, the bottom will be somewhat thick and hazy.

The racking process is not terribly difficult. In fact, it is quite simple. A siphon is necessary for racking. The key; however, is to make sure that you siphon off the wine without stirring up any of the sediment. It should be noted that while food grade hosing can be used many winemakers do prefer to use what is known as a racking tube in order to rack their wine. This is because, if you are not careful; using a hose to rack the wine can cause the sediment to become stirred up and it may also move around. A racking tube fits on the end of the hose and serves as a type of wand that gives you control over where in the container you draw the wine.

In the old days, wine was racked by manually sucking on the end of the hose; however, today there have been numerous advancements made in winemaking equipment. One of those advancements is an automatic siphon that works with a pump in order to start the siphoning action.

Keep in mind that during the first two to three rackings, it is not essential to remove all of the sediment. You should try to siphon as much of the wine liquid as possible; however, even if you do bring up a small amount of the sediment this will be fine. It is during the final racking that it becomes imperative that you make sure that all of the sediment is left behind with none following through into the wine.

After the fermentation process has been completed, it you still need to rack the wine (such as when storing wine long-term in bulk) it may be necessary to add Campden Tablets to the wine. The purpose of this is to ensure that any air that may have entered the wine during the racking process is driven out. Campden Tablets will also help to minimize oxidation. Keep in mind that this is not a problem when racking wine while the fermentation process is ongoing as the CO2 that is produced during fermentation will naturally eliminate any air that may have been introduced.

Posted in Winemaking 101Comments (0)

Timing your Racking


Racking is one of the most essential parts to making stellar wine. Generally, you will need to rack the wine at least two times and in some cases you may need to rack it as many as four times. Making sure that you rack in a timely fashion will ensure the wine is properly clarified as well as prevent off flavors.

If you are not familiar with racking, it is important to understand that racking does not refer to bottling the wine. This is a misinterpretation. Basically, racking involves siphoning the wine from one container to another. The purpose behind this is making sure that all of the sediment is left behind.

The first racking typically occurs about five days into the fermentation process. In some cases, you may wait one to two days; however, the first racking should always occur by day 7. This is because by this time you will need to place an air lock on the container in order to protect the wine must due to the fact that the fermentation has slowed down. Outside contaminant could easily influence the wine, so you will need to provide necessary protection using an air lock.

You will also usually find that at this point in the fermentation process at least 70% of the sediment will have already begun to appear. If you rack between days five and seven, this will be a good opportunity to get rid of most of the sediment. It will be some time before the remainder of the sediment appears. Racking at this point is also important because it presents you with a chance to remove pulp from the must. This is imperative if you used fresh fruit instead of concentrate. If you leave pulp in the must for any longer, you may find that your wine has a harsh taste.

The second racking should take place when the fermentation process has been completed. The amount of time necessary for this to occur may vary. In some cases it may take only a few days following the first racking while in other cases it could be several weeks following the first racking. The amount of time depends on how quickly the fermentation progresses. After you have completed the second racking, do take care to re-apply the air lock as the must will still need some time in order to clear.

The third racking should take place after the wine has become completely clear. This will give you the chance to get rid of any remaining sediment. Under specific circumstances, you may find that it is necessary to perform subsequent rackings. For example, when you are aging a heavy red wine in bulk, you may find it necessary to rack the wine approximately every three months or so. This is because some sediment may still occur over the course of the wine being stored in bulk for a long period of time.

In the event you decide to use clarifiers or finings you may also need to perform subsequent rackings. In this case, you would need to rack the wine once before the wine is treated and then once again after treatment. It should be noted that it is entirely possible to rack your wine too many times. This should be avoided as it can cause the wine to become over-oxidized.

Posted in Winemaking 101Comments (0)

Basic Preparation For Home Winemaking


In making home made wine, there are certain necessary preparations that must be followed in order to make a quality wine. Within these preparations are seven easy steps one must follow in making home made wine and for success to occur.

1. Prepare the wine making fruit or materials by cutting up the larger fruit, bursting the skins on the fruit, chopping up fruits such as currents, and bruising heavily any ingredients like birch root, etc. Any large pits in the fruit of course should be removed.

2. Stir up all of the wine making ingredients, except for yeast, into what is called the primary fermenter. Collect any fruit pulp in a fermentation sack and submerge the sack into the wine making mixture. Add water to equal the batch to 5 gallons.

3. Cover the fermenter with a thin, clean towel or cheesecloth and wait 24 hours.

4. Lightly sprinkle wine yeast over the surface of the juice and then cover with a thin, clean towel. Allow this mixture to ferment for 5 to 7 days. This step cannot be overlooked.

5. After 5 to 7 days of fermenting, take out the pulp from the fermenter and throw away. Siphon the wine into a secondary fermenter very carefully, leaving all the sediment behind in the primary fermenter.

6. Attach the wine making air-lock and fill approximately half-way with clean water. Allow the juice to ferment an additional 4 to 6 week period or until the mixture turns completely clear.

7. Once the wine becomes completely clear, siphon it off of the sediment again. Stir in five Campden Tables found at your local wine making store that have been crushed and then bottle. When siphoning off sediment, unlike the first time you siphoned the wine, you want to leave all sediment behind, even if you lose a little wine.

These steps when followed correctly can and will produce a quality wine that you will surely enjoy. However, during the actual wine making process, it is extremely important to keep fermentation temperatures stable between 70 and 75 degrees F. Fermenting cool could and will result in the fermentation stopping before all the alcohol is made. Getting the fermentation too warm could result in off-flavors in the wine.

Posted in Winemaking TipsComments (0)

Why You Should Use A Wine Rack


For wine to mature in the proper way, you’ll need to have the right humidity, temperature, light condition, and movement. Whenever you are storing wine for any amount of time, you’ll need to ensure that the wine is in a safe place. Even though there are a few ways that you can store wine, none are safer or smarter than using a wine rack.

When you choose your wine rack, you should always remember to choose one that will store your wine properly. There are a several styles to choose from, including those that stack, wall mounts, and side mounts. You should also pay attention to size as well, as the sizes range from storing a few bottles to storing hundreds. You’ll also have a lot of varieties and designs to select from, all of which depend on your needs and your space.

Among the best types of wine racks are the horizontal racks. Contrary to what many may think, vertical racks aren’t a good choice for storing your wine. Wine that is stored on vertical racks are stored vertically, which means that the cork will dry out and eventually start to shrink, bringing air into the wine and ruining it. On the other hand, vertical racks can come in handy when storing wine for short periods of time, or wine that is best consumed young.

Tilted racks are another type of rack you should avoid using, as they can dry out the corks or deposit the sediments too close to the cork. For your wine storing needs, you should always go with a horizontal rack. Horizontal racks will keep the cork moist, and keep unwanted air from making contact with the wine. The sediment will fall towards the side of the bottle, preventing spillage when you pop the cork. Horizontal racks are also very affordable and you can always add more racks to the design with little to no problem.

The materials for wine racks are normally wood or metal. You can hang them from ceilings, mount them on the wall, or simply place them on the floor. Metal racks are the strongest, although wood is more flexible. Wooden racks provide a bit more storage, for the simple fact that you can always add to them. Wood racks are also visually appealing, durable, and provide plenty of strength.

All in all, a wine rack is a fine investment for anyone who appreciates wine. There are various sizes to choose from, all of which are very affordable. The small to medium sizes work best for homes, while the large styles are best for commercial settings. No matter where you keep your wine – you can count on a wine rack to keep your wine stored for years to come.

Posted in Wine StorageComments (0)

Wine Racks


If you want your wine to mature in the correct way, you should have the right humidity, temperature, light condition, and movement. When you are storing wine for any amount of time, you’ll need to ensure that the wine is in a secure place. Even if you have a few ways to choose to store wine, not any are safer or smarter than using a wine rack.

That’s why evaluating pieces of writing is definitely an excellent way of growing ones comprehension of a theme but for that you would have to rummage around through a lot of waste. Perhaps some of your needs must have been contented through reading this article about

Why Use A Wine Rack.

As soon as you make a decision towards the sort of wine rack that goes well with your needs, you should at all times consider selecting one that will store up your wine perfectly. On the market you’ll find more than a few kinds to choose from, including the ones that stack, wall mounts, and side mounts. You should also focus on to dimension as well, as the sizes sort from piling a few bottles to storing hundreds. You’ll also have an abundance of types and designs to choose from, depending on your wants and your space.

Along with the best types of wine racks are the horizontal racks. Contrary to what many might imagine, vertical racks aren’t an outstanding option for collecting your wine. Wine that is stockpiled on vertical racks are stored vertically, which means that the cork will dry out and ultimately start to shrink, conveying air into the wine and ruining it. On the other hand, vertical racks could be practical when storing wine for a short period of time, or wine that is best consumed at an early stage.

Tilted racks are another type of rack you should avoid using, as they can dry out the corks or deposit the sediments too close to the cork. As for your wine storing requirements, you should always choose a horizontal rack. Horizontal racks will keep the cork moist, and keep out the surplus air from making contact with the wine. The sediment will drop towards the side of the bottle, preventing spillage when you pop the cork.

Horizontal racks are as well very well within your reach and you can always add more racks to the design without any problem.

The material used for wine racks are normally wood or metal. You can mount them on the wall, suspend them from ceilings, or just place them on the floor. Metal racks are the strongest, even though wood is more flexible. Wooden racks offer a bit more storage, for the simple fact that you can constantly add to them. Wood racks are also visually appealing, durable, and supply plenty of strength.

We can say for sure that a wine rack is a good investment for everyone who likes wine. There are different sizes to choose from, all of which are very reasonably priced. The small to medium sizes work best for homes, while the large styles are best for commercial settings. Regardless of where you keep your wine – you can count on a wine rack to keep your wine stored for years to come. That is all we had to talk about why to use a wine rack and if you are satisfied with what you have learnt here, our task has been satisfied.

Posted in Wine StorageComments (0)

Styles Of Wine Racks


Wine racks come in all sizes. If you do an internet search for wine rack you’ll find sites that have custom designed wine cellars to hold hundreds of bottles under perfect climactic conditions to sites that have decorative countertop wrought iron wine racks that hold 4 to 6 bottles, the choices are endless.

Those who teach about wine storage teach about the importance of temperature, humidity, ventilation, and the angle of storage. Some even preach that care should be taken to make sure there is no vibration to work up the sediment from the bottom of the bottle. A little too much for me.

If you’re like me, you only have a handful of wine bottles at any time, maybe 4 or 5. In keeping with the fundamental basic of never letting a cork dry out, I’ve got the bottles rolling around on their sides in a cabinet in the kitchen. This has been OK for my 4 or 5 bottles, not one of which cost me over $25.00. But now it’s time for me to step up and find a wine rack.

Most true wine connoisseur’s, those who spend their time researching the best year for a particular grape, who know the best growing regions and grape varietals, those who know how the wine is aged, those who spend anywhere from $50.00 and up for a bottle, who may buy a case of wine at a time, those people require more sophisticated wine storage.

All I want a wine rack that will hold a few bottles, out of the way that will look nice and enhance the style of my kitchen. There are many styles to choose from. There are some shelving wine rack units that come in a variety of finishes that will hold up to 150 bottles, too big. There is the 12 bottle wine rack with a very industrial look of wire and wood, not my style. There are some lovely wrought iron wine racks. A lovely set that are actually bookends that each hold three bottles, great to use if I had a library. How about a wrought iron cabinet with a lovely leaf design that holds up to 33 bottles? Or, a wrought iron hanging rack that holds up to eight bottles and eight wine glasses…. now we’re getting close.

You may be amazed at the number of different wine racks you can find that will enhance the style of your home.

Posted in Wine StorageComments (0)


Subscription

Fill out the form below to signup to our blog newsletter and we'll drop you a line when new articles come up.

Our strict privacy policy keeps your email address 100% safe & secure.

Get Adobe Flash player