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in article , Anders Tørneskog at
wrote on 9/2/05 2:16 PM:
>
> "Steve Dannenbaum" > skrev i melding
> news j%Re.73757$DW1.27686@fed1read06...
>> Being fairly new to the wonders of wine, I would like to buy a small wine
>> cooler; somewhere from 24 to 35 bottles. Right now I'm on a tight budget
>> so
>> I'm looking for value, without too much of a sacrafice in quality. I drink
>> mostly reds, but I'd like to have a few whites on hand for my lady
>> friends.
>> Would someone be so kind as to make some recommendations. Thank you.
>>
> There's indeed much to glean from older threads, but my direct advice is:
> don't buy.
> Unless, of course, you live in a very hot area and need to have a 50-55F
> storage for short term use (4-5 months)..
> If you are that new to wine your best bet is to buy as needed from a
> reputable dealer (with good, cool warehouses).
> Browse around the world of wine, note what you like and find that your taste
> will change. Why then fill your cooler with something you will not want in
> 5 years time?
> Storing wine till maturity is an expensive and tricky business but some
> rules of thumb apply: If you plan for an average 7 years storage and want
> to drink 2 bottles a month, you will need space for 7*2*12=168 bottles...
> Now, if the idea is to have a bottle or two ready for the ladies the fridge
> will do. A lady a week will probably mean a bottle a week :-) and it will
> surely keep in good shape in the refrigerator for double that time. Reds
> may need a little chill from an hour or a half in the fridge, btw (best
> served at 60-65F). Whites may need to be taken out half an hour early to
> warm to 45-50F is your fridge is cold.
> hth
> Anders
I'm reading this thread with interest. After losing a significant number of
bottles on and off over the years, I invested in a 200 bottle
furniture-style unit inside the house. We are in a temperate coastal
section of Southern California, but the temp can reach the high 90'sF on a
number of summer days. Keeping the entire house in the low 70's, on a
consistent basis, can be quite costly (And unnecessary for residents).
I've always been told that it's the changes in temp that affect wine; ie- a
few days at 98F, then back to the low 70'sF (at night); then up again.
California wineries will often not ship wine during hot spells, though a UPS
truck could climb well over 100F parked at McDonald's. All but one of our
local quality wine merchants use only the standard A/C to keep their spaces
around 70F consistently. The one exception is huge, and has a wine
'warehouse' area that feels like <60F all the time.
So...... just what are the specific temperature maximums/fluctuations/time
factors that put wine in danger? Don't we need to know more specifics to
soundly advice someone?
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