Caring For Your Wine

There is always a risk of wine spoiling in the barrels, carboys, demijohns and even gallons. However, wine in a tightly corked bottle is less likely to go bad.
After the wine has been bottled, it should be left standing upright in the box for at least 5 to 7 days after which the bottles may be put on their sides. This procedure keeps the corks from drying out and shrinking thereby letting air into the bottle and spoiling your wine.
When storing wine, the factors to consider are temperature, vibration, light, and humidity. The ideal cellar should be dark, moderately humid, with a constant temperature between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature must be constant without significant and sudden fluctuations.
The wine should be consumed when YOU think it is ready to drink, but be aware of the fact, that when a wine is young, it is fruity, light and without any real definition. To fully appreciate the subtle characteristics and taste of your wine, allow it to age a minimum of 3 to 6 months and serve it at the right temperature, letting it breath at least one hour before serving.
When serving wine it is important to bring all wines to their correct temperature slowly and gently. White wines should be served cold and not too chilled; a rule of thumb when serving white wine is to serve it at the temperature of ice water. This allows the full flavour and bouquet of the wine to tantalize your palette and nose. Red wines should be served at room temperature (about 65 degrees). When serving more than one wine be sure to serve them in the following order: light before full, dry before sweet, young before old and white before red wine.

Enjoy your wine!