You might have noticed us talking a lot recently about our unique, rustic event space, the Cellar – a prohibition inspired wine cellar hideaway, concealed behind a rotating bookcase. The space is filled with antiquities and a beautiful 5m single length, Australian wood table making it the perfect place for food and wine pairings in what is surely one of Brisbane’s most private dining rooms.
How long should you keep a red wine cellared?
You might have noticed us talking a lot recently about our unique, rustic event space, the Cellar – a prohibition inspired hideaway, concealed behind a rotating bookcase. The space is filled with antiquities and a beautiful 5m single length, Australian wood table making it the perfect place for food and wine pairings in what is surely one of Brisbane’s most private dining rooms.
Looking at all of our vintage wines resting in the Cellar got us thinking, what are the rules around cellaring red wine? We spoke to our in-house wine expert, Mark Guerrera to find out the answers…
How long can a wine be cellared for?
Unfortunately it’s not as easy as that! Ageing and cellaring is worked out and estimated for each individual wine and depend on a whole range of conditions including;
- the weather conditions during the vintage the grapes were picked
- the date the grapes were picked.
- what varietal/s were used
- what region the wine is from
- what climate the wine is from (a warm or cool climate for example)
- whether the wine was meant to be consumed young or cellared
- what type of Oak (if any) was used during maturation
- what fermentation method was used and how long the skin contact period was
- whether the wine was bottled under cork or stelvin closure
- how long has the wine been aged before release
- what climate the wine is to be cellared in
- what bottle format the wine is bottled in – for example, Magnums (1.5l) are better for cellaring
Why do we age red wine?
Over time, the sugars, acids and tannins in red wine alter its taste, changing the aromas, mouthfeel and even the colour of the wine. But this isn’t true of all red wines – approximately 90% of wines on the market are actually meant to be consumed ‘young’. But there are certainly some winemakers that have earned a reputation for creating wine worth ageing. We can point you in the right direction on this – pop in and see us!
What sort of environment should my cellar be?
For best results, following a few simple guidelines is all your wines need to thrive. Firstly, temperature is crucial – cool but not too cool. The ideal temperature is 13°C, but the main thing that can negatively affect the wine is fluctuations in temperature, so keep it consistent! There should be limited light, especially sunlight in the space. In terms of humidity, 50-80% is considered safe – one to watch if you’re in Brisbane like us.
To sum up, it’s not easy as picking a wine you like and holding on to it in the hopes that it’ll taste better the longer you leave it. Many wines are best enjoyed at the time of purchase. We love having a good chat about wine, so pop on down to Baedeker and sample some of our favourites, take a bottle home to cellar, or come and take a look at our Cellar! We promise it’s worth a trip.
