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.