Comments for Winston's Wisdoms - A WineEnthusiast.com Blog

Comment on Mother’s Day Wine Gifts: Our Top Favorites for All Moms by Janet

Janet — Fri, 16 May 2008 09:10:26 +0000

Awesome gifts! I am very glad to read this post.

Comment on Tartrates in your Wine Glass: Do They Matter? by Josh F.

Josh F. — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:11:22 +0000

Thanks for your nice comments. Maybe it’s because wine enthusiasts focus so much on red wines that tartrates don’t get discussed more often. I’ll check out Genevieve’s post. I appreciate your input, thanks again.

Comment on Tartrates in your Wine Glass: Do They Matter? by Oenophilus

Oenophilus — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:24:29 +0000

Great post, Josh! Consumer Ed is at the top of importance for most of us in the industry. Unfortunately, it is not always top of mind. Genevieve at Iridesse Wines addressed this at the beginning of the year on the winery blog http://iridessewines.wordpress.com/2008/01/10/tartrates-those-glass-looking-things-at-the-bottom-of-my-chardonnay/.

The more info that can get into wine consumers’ hands the better. Tartrates are one of those things that so many people don’t know about, but they encounter regularly. Your post will reach many people and further enrich their enjoyment of wine. Kudos and Cheers!

Comment on What a Difference a Decanter Makes by Erika S.

Erika S. — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:34:51 +0000

Hi Mark, that’s false. I don’t know of any instance in which you should shake your wine.

Comment on What a Difference a Decanter Makes by mark

mark — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:02:04 +0000

I was recently presented with a gift of a bottle of 1984 Stag’s Leap Fay and was told to shake the bottle briskly before decanting. True or false?

Comment on Wine Cellar Design: Custom Racking vs. Racking Kits by David Moseler(Wine Storage Consultant)

David Moseler(Wine Storage Consultant) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:04:41 +0000

In addition, we like to use California Redwood on both kits and custom for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it’s environmently friendly. There are almost 2 million acres planted and 26% is preserved in national and state parks. The remaining acreage are being well managed by independant third-party forest certification programs and 650 million new trees are being planted each year. In terms of the actual redwood being able to hold up in wine cellar, have no fear. Redwoods best attribute is the ability to withstand the test of time. Redwood is raised in the cool, damp forests of Northern California. It is naturally resistent to the cool, humid atmosphere desired for long term storage. It requires no finish or sealant, and over time darkens to a lustrious cinnamon color.

Comment on What a Difference a Decanter Makes by Marshall (Wine Enthusiast Wine Storage Consultant)

Marshall (Wine Enthusiast Wine Storage Consultant) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:27:53 +0000

Regarding your Rabbit Corkscrew Michael, the problem may simply be that you need to replace the worm (the twisted screw that goes into the cork). They only last so long and after some time (a year or more) may lose the ability to grab on to the cork. They are available if you click on this link and are quite simple to replace. Good luck, and feel free to email me directly with any questions.
http://www.wineenthusiast.com/E/details.asp?Ep=An/0//A/13280

Comment on Wine Storage Misconceptions: The Truth About Your Reds & Whites by Arnaud H

Arnaud H — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:02:54 +0000

I unfortunately don’t have a basement or garage with a constant temperature that would make it easy for me to store a lot of wine at home. I have a Eurotemp wine cellar that holds about 40-50 bottles between 53 and 57°F. The other bottles at home are “stored” at room temperature - mostly whites and rosés which will be drunk within a month or two. The rest of my wine is stored in a cellar space at a constant 55°F at a wine distrbutor’s facility that also rents storage space. I make frequent trips to that location for work, so the hassle is minimal.

Comment on Wine Storage Misconceptions: The Truth About Your Reds & Whites by Miguel Lecuona

Miguel Lecuona — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:46:59 +0000

Regarding the goal of maintaining a constant 55 degrees… It is reassuring to know that no less than Chateau Margaux stores wines in buildings with ambient temperatures that vary with the seasons, changing gradually from low 50s to mid 60s degrees from winter to Summer. Their website discusses this in detail. They have vintages well over 100+ years with no apparent degradation. And Robert Parker himself has written about his controlled cellars using strict temperature parameters, and his own passive cellars with seasonal variation. He has posted on his on site that he was unable to discern any differences in wines (other than label deterioration from hi-humidity passive cellar) from the same vintage when stored for 10+ years in either cellar.

Abrupt temperature spikes and swings from low to levels above 72 degrees for hours/ days/ weeks can cook wine in time. Living in Texas or anywhere in the South, a wine fridge or controlled cellar is required for extended storage or aging. You might consider adding a battery-backed UPS on fridges containing treasures to so that an extended power outage will not pose a threat — it does take a while for a fridge full of 55 degree wine to exceed a danger-level of temps. In the Northeast, passive cellars can work to great effect, too, but you have to be certain about your storage conditions. Always good to have options. And YES the bottom line is this sort of care and concern will pay dividends down the road when you open your treasures. Cheers.

Comment on Wine Fridge Vs. Regular Fridge by Erika S.

Erika S. — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:36:38 +0000

@Chris R, we sell a product called a Label Saver which will help you remove labels: http://tinyurl.com/4yo2yw
Enjoy!