Bob, I really appreciate your channel. The information provided is very helpful. I’m 63 and have enjoyed wine for years. But In recent years I’ve enjoyed branching-out and trying different wines from around the world. The information you provide helps me approach wines I would never consider on my own. Your delivery of the information is unpretentious and easy to follow. Keep up the great work.
Hi Dennis, I very much appreciate your message. It captures the reason I started this channel. Wine is all about exploration, if I can help guide people to try new wines, it’s a wonderful thing. Cheers! 🍷
Bob, I live in New Orleans which means 98% of my wine is for near term consumption. My "cellar" is an 8 bottle Jinjunye wine fridge and its perfect. I used to have a 18 bottle Magic Chef but after numerous hurricanes and power outages I lost my more expensive bottles. So, anytime I buy a premium wine I drink it before late summer.
Sharing this with friends who've become interested in wine lately! I hope you enjoyed your Sociando Mallet. I couldn't finish my Chateau Gloria... I've got a cold and have complete anosmia; hoping to recover in a few days! Man, life without the sense of smell feels almost pointless.
Thanks for sharing it with friends. The Sociando Mallet is drinking well. About four years ago, I had Covid. Quite ill for an extended time, but never lost my sense of taste or smell. Very fortunate. I hope you get well soon.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine I got it too a couple years ago, but I did lose the sense of smell back then as well. I got really really scared, had just received my WSET certification and I was excited to go into the world of wine when it happened. I know some people's sense of smell never fully recovers, and I can tell you, I spent some grim days back then when sticking my nose into a jar of black pepper felt like fresh air. I'd rather lose an arm and not see a single color again than lose the sense of smell.
I started cellaring wines 2 years ago, but it is hard since I live in a tropical City, last year I had to buy a 24 bottle wine fridge when the temperature reached 43°C (all year is around 32°C), but now is completely full, so I started to pull out bottles I plan to drink within one or Max 2 years and keep it in a dark room, that is 10 degrees bellow room temp, but stil it is atleast at 25°C
I understand, years ago I stored my wine in an interior closet. Not ideal, but I had to make do. Store your long term keepers in the wine unit and you should be good.
Thanks, Bob. Good advice. I have brought most of my fine wine collection en primeur and store about one third at home in either a Climadiff chiller cabinet (nominally, 292 bottles but more like 250 in reality) and a 144 bottle rack in the garage (for short term drinking)₩. The cars, btw, have been relegated to the drive. The rest of my modest collection is left in the merchant's cellars until it reaches its drinking window and I have room at home. Being now 69 years of age, I buy hardly anything en primeur and concentrate on purchasing the odd bottle of extra fine wine when ready to drink. Tonight, since you ask, I have some Perrin 2015 Crozes-Hermitage left over from the weekend to go with the cold roast beef.
The Crozes should be drinking well! Sounds like you have a good setup. My upright holds about 250 bottles as well. I have a second unit that holds a bit less. I’m glad you have the priorities straight, the cars are relegated to the driveway! 😂
I keep my cases at a bonded warehouse here in the UK (LCB). I only see the case when I take delivery which is when I also pay VAT and the cost of storage is around £7/case of 6 per year. That's insured and temp+humidity controlled 24/7. It probably costs less than what I spend in energy bill with my wine fridge. I had a handful of 20-25 year old wines and the cork was always pristine with about 1-2mm wet which I rarely saw on wines this old from retailers. The biggest drawback is I can only buy by the case which usually comes in 6 or 12 bottles.
Wonderful. Proper wine storage is critical. I’ve had too many wines bought from retail shops that were clearly subjected to heat. Your situation is ideal!
I built a wine cellar in a deep basement but with no controlled temperature. The temperature in the winter is around 58F with it gradually rising to a maximum of high 60’s in summer with very slow temperature changes. It’s dark, except when we’re there 😅. We have a tasting area as part of the room so keeping it habitable in winter was a need. We’ve had this cellar for 10 years and have had no perceived issues with aging wines. It’s not our desire to keep wine for more than 10ish years but no issues so far - even with bottles we had before this room was built.
Hi Paul, it sounds like you have a good set up. Even though the temp swing is a bit more than ideal, it’s a gradual change with the seasons. Thanks for sharing your story.
Very instructive. I find the biggest challenge is humidity. Most ‘average’ wine fridges do not control for humidity. I can cover 4 of 5 pretty well, just not the humidity. Probably explains the crumbling cork on a 2008 Pontet Canet recently. 😥
Thank you. You’re spot on, humidity is often the issue with a wine fridge. Sometimes a shallow pan of water places at the bottom of the fridge can help, but it’s a pain to maintain.
Bob, I really enjoy your channel, thank you for sharing all your expertise. I live in Boise ID, I have a basement which ranges in temperature from 55-65degrees, any thoughts on storing wines in this type of environment? Thx again! Keep up the great work. Lew
Hi Lew, thanks for the kind comment. Your set up sounds very good. The temp range works. Hopefully there are no sudden temp swings. A basement should have adequate humidity and darkness. Sounds like you’re good to go! Cheers!
Hi Bob, can you do a video or two on assessing age-worthiness and drinking windows? I just opened a ‘16 brunello that seemed way too young (wall of tannin and oak).
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine Konstantin Baum has just done a video on drinking windows, confirming my experience, that end dates are so conservative to be almost pointless. I do use start dates as a rough guide before opening the first bottle, though. I had a different experience with Brunello last year: I opened the first of a half-case of 2015 Val di Suga with guests and we all agreed that it was outstanding. My 2016s, though, will remain in the merchant's cellars for another year or two. I try to buy half-cases (or threes as a minimum) where possible so that I can chart a wine's development over the years.
Is there anything wrong with using a temperature controlled wine cooler over a cellar? I am starting to get into aging wines but live in one bedroom condo and my small wine cooler is the best I have.
I try to age all my wine on the car ride home, pop the cork and drink…... 🤣🤣🤣. Seriously, great info. People tend to forget the aroma and vibration ones. I’m lucky to have a 14 course basement where I built my main cellar, stays within 2 degrees of 60f all year and 64 to 68% relative humidity, completely dark with low voltage LED lighting that only goes on when I’m in it on a 3” thick concrete slab. I put a vapor barrier between the drywall and paneling too. I have a temperature and RH monitor in it so I can track. I’ve a wine fridge as well that is temperature controlled at 55f and 78% RH. Also monitored. I use the fridge for my “collectables” and aged wines I’ve purchased and the cellar for everything else. Not sure where I’m going to put the case of 94 Barbaresco I just bought though as the fridge is pretty full. 😂. Guess I’ll just need to have a risotto and truffle dinner party and drink some to make room. 😂.
I’m not surprised to read that you’re all in! That is one tricked out set up. Once you’ve experienced a letdown from being poorly stored, it drives the point home. Age on the car ride home…😂
Great advice, I loved the red-light guy. Question on corked wines: is this fault the result of a) poor storage; b) sloppy bottling; c) bad luck, just random factors. Cheers!
He’s a cool guy, great energy, just a fun person to be around. Corked wines are caused by TCA interacting with the a chlorine wash to clean the corks. TCA can be in the pores of the cork. New technology has helped to greatly reduce the problem. To your points, it’s not poor storage or sloppy bottling, but bad luck can factor in.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine thanks for the detailed reply. My most recent corked experience was a buddy who brought a really nice vineyard-designated Kosta Brown on a golf buddy trip. He about cried when I told him it was corked!
Curious what your thoughts are on decanting an old wine as far as sediment separation. I suppose every bottle is different but should decanting even be considered? If you don't decant, how do you keep the sediment from clouding the wine?
I avoid decanting old wine except when the sediment is very pronounced. Old wines tend to be fragile, many fall apart quickly when exposed to air. That said, if you have a large group and the wine will be poured quickly, go ahead and decant. If I’m sharing the wine with one other person, I prefer to stand the bottle upright for a day or two to allow the sediment to work down into the base of the bottle. The wine tends to hold up for a longer length of time.
A little off topic but what is the cork premium compared to a screwcap? It's been known for a while that screwcaps are superior to corks yet they persist out of tradition and perception. Also I would like to know more about quality wines that are screwcaps.
Screwcaps are better in terms of protecting wines from TCA spoilage, but corks have advantages as well. They allow for a small ingress of air to help the wine to develop/evolve. New generation screwcaps now allow for the same. Also, recent advances in cork production have eliminated much of the taint risk. As for the quality under screwcap, much is focused on wines meant to be consumed while youthful. Also note that nearly all wines from Australia and New Zealand are sold with a screwcap, even reds meant for long term aging.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine I guess that's why you're up there and just down here at my keyboard! Thanks for responding thoughtfully and I love your content!
Have you ever been to Burn's Restaurant in Tampa, Florida?? It has the largest wine cellar in the world of any restaurant with 10,000 bottles +-. Enjoy!
I’ve been there. I lived in Jacksonville for many years, visited Tampa on occasion for business. It’s been maybe ten years since I was there. Isn’t that the place with the heavy red curtains at the entrance?
I have a wine rack in my kitchen with mostly $10-$50 drier red wines, 65F in the winter, but up to 75F in summer and receives indirect light. Anything I am intentionally aging goes down the cellar, but I had wines over a year here. How bad is this? When I am tasting the wine, is there a way to know if it was adversely affected?
The warm part of the year is a problem. 75F is not great, although it’s just a bit over the temp of many retail stores. Sudden dramatic temp change is not good. If the wines seem to lack aroma or have muted flavors, it’s a sign of storage being too warm. If there is a cooked or stewed fruit character, that’s a sure sign, but you shouldn’t have that issue.
Hi Lucy, I’ve heard that as well, but I store it horizontally and never had a problem. If you’re storing Champagne for a few months, vertically should not be a problem.
Burn's has been there for over 40 yrs that i know of! They serve aged meat, they have their own farm for fruits&veggies and herbs and spices! Located in the SOHO(South howard) section of downtown Tampa! Tell them Mr.Todd sent you!!
Built a wine shed in my garage, run it at 55 degrees. Holds 250 bottles, should have doubled the size. Now I need to drink really good wines more often. Poor me
I’m fascinated and respectful of people who have hundreds of wine bottles, BUT do these people actually drink the wine or do they simply collect bottles as a hobby?
Bob, I really appreciate your channel. The information provided is very helpful. I’m 63 and have enjoyed wine for years. But In recent years I’ve enjoyed branching-out and trying different wines from around the world. The information you provide helps me approach wines I would never consider on my own. Your delivery of the information is unpretentious and easy to follow. Keep up the great work.
Hi Dennis, I very much appreciate your message. It captures the reason I started this channel. Wine is all about exploration, if I can help guide people to try new wines, it’s a wonderful thing. Cheers! 🍷
Bob, I live in New Orleans which means 98% of my wine is for near term consumption. My "cellar" is an 8 bottle Jinjunye wine fridge and its perfect. I used to have a 18 bottle Magic Chef but after numerous hurricanes and power outages I lost my more expensive bottles. So, anytime I buy a premium wine I drink it before late summer.
Hi. I use to live in the SE, so many power outages. Challenging for cellaring wine.
Sharing this with friends who've become interested in wine lately! I hope you enjoyed your Sociando Mallet. I couldn't finish my Chateau Gloria... I've got a cold and have complete anosmia; hoping to recover in a few days! Man, life without the sense of smell feels almost pointless.
Thanks for sharing it with friends. The Sociando Mallet is drinking well. About four years ago, I had Covid. Quite ill for an extended time, but never lost my sense of taste or smell. Very fortunate. I hope you get well soon.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine I got it too a couple years ago, but I did lose the sense of smell back then as well. I got really really scared, had just received my WSET certification and I was excited to go into the world of wine when it happened. I know some people's sense of smell never fully recovers, and I can tell you, I spent some grim days back then when sticking my nose into a jar of black pepper felt like fresh air. I'd rather lose an arm and not see a single color again than lose the sense of smell.
@@juanmanuelmunozhernandez7032 I know some who lost the sense of smell and it never returned or it did return, but was not the same. Awful.
I started cellaring wines 2 years ago, but it is hard since I live in a tropical City, last year I had to buy a 24 bottle wine fridge when the temperature reached 43°C (all year is around 32°C), but now is completely full, so I started to pull out bottles I plan to drink within one or Max 2 years and keep it in a dark room, that is 10 degrees bellow room temp, but stil it is atleast at 25°C
I understand, years ago I stored my wine in an interior closet. Not ideal, but I had to make do. Store your long term keepers in the wine unit and you should be good.
Thanks, Bob. Good advice. I have brought most of my fine wine collection en primeur and store about one third at home in either a Climadiff chiller cabinet (nominally, 292 bottles but more like 250 in reality) and a 144 bottle rack in the garage (for short term drinking)₩. The cars, btw, have been relegated to the drive. The rest of my modest collection is left in the merchant's cellars until it reaches its drinking window and I have room at home. Being now 69 years of age, I buy hardly anything en primeur and concentrate on purchasing the odd bottle of extra fine wine when ready to drink.
Tonight, since you ask, I have some Perrin 2015 Crozes-Hermitage left over from the weekend to go with the cold roast beef.
The Crozes should be drinking well! Sounds like you have a good setup. My upright holds about 250 bottles as well. I have a second unit that holds a bit less. I’m glad you have the priorities straight, the cars are relegated to the driveway! 😂
I keep my cases at a bonded warehouse here in the UK (LCB). I only see the case when I take delivery which is when I also pay VAT and the cost of storage is around £7/case of 6 per year. That's insured and temp+humidity controlled 24/7. It probably costs less than what I spend in energy bill with my wine fridge. I had a handful of 20-25 year old wines and the cork was always pristine with about 1-2mm wet which I rarely saw on wines this old from retailers. The biggest drawback is I can only buy by the case which usually comes in 6 or 12 bottles.
Wonderful. Proper wine storage is critical. I’ve had too many wines bought from retail shops that were clearly subjected to heat. Your situation is ideal!
I built a wine cellar in a deep basement but with no controlled temperature. The temperature in the winter is around 58F with it gradually rising to a maximum of high 60’s in summer with very slow temperature changes. It’s dark, except when we’re there 😅. We have a tasting area as part of the room so keeping it habitable in winter was a need. We’ve had this cellar for 10 years and have had no perceived issues with aging wines. It’s not our desire to keep wine for more than 10ish years but no issues so far - even with bottles we had before this room was built.
Hi Paul, it sounds like you have a good set up. Even though the temp swing is a bit more than ideal, it’s a gradual change with the seasons. Thanks for sharing your story.
Very instructive. I find the biggest challenge is humidity. Most ‘average’ wine fridges do not control for humidity. I can cover 4 of 5 pretty well, just not the humidity. Probably explains the crumbling cork on a 2008 Pontet Canet recently. 😥
Thank you. You’re spot on, humidity is often the issue with a wine fridge. Sometimes a shallow pan of water places at the bottom of the fridge can help, but it’s a pain to maintain.
Bob, I really enjoy your channel, thank you for sharing all your expertise. I live in Boise ID, I have a basement which ranges in temperature from 55-65degrees, any thoughts on storing wines in this type of environment?
Thx again! Keep up the great work.
Lew
Hi Lew, thanks for the kind comment. Your set up sounds very good. The temp range works. Hopefully there are no sudden temp swings. A basement should have adequate humidity and darkness. Sounds like you’re good to go! Cheers!
Hi Bob, can you do a video or two on assessing age-worthiness and drinking windows? I just opened a ‘16 brunello that seemed way too young (wall of tannin and oak).
Hi, I’ll give it some thought, it would be an interesting topic.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine Konstantin Baum has just done a video on drinking windows, confirming my experience, that end dates are so conservative to be almost pointless. I do use start dates as a rough guide before opening the first bottle, though.
I had a different experience with Brunello last year: I opened the first of a half-case of 2015 Val di Suga with guests and we all agreed that it was outstanding. My 2016s, though, will remain in the merchant's cellars for another year or two.
I try to buy half-cases (or threes as a minimum) where possible so that I can chart a wine's development over the years.
@ The challenge with establishing the ideal drinking window is the subjectivity. Personal preferences vary greatly.
Is there anything wrong with using a temperature controlled wine cooler over a cellar? I am starting to get into aging wines but live in one bedroom condo and my small wine cooler is the best I have.
I’ve used an upright wine cooler over the last twelve years. Before that it was an underground cellar. Both can work equally well.
I try to age all my wine on the car ride home, pop the cork and drink…... 🤣🤣🤣. Seriously, great info. People tend to forget the aroma and vibration ones. I’m lucky to have a 14 course basement where I built my main cellar, stays within 2 degrees of 60f all year and 64 to 68% relative humidity, completely dark with low voltage LED lighting that only goes on when I’m in it on a 3” thick concrete slab. I put a vapor barrier between the drywall and paneling too. I have a temperature and RH monitor in it so I can track. I’ve a wine fridge as well that is temperature controlled at 55f and 78% RH. Also monitored. I use the fridge for my “collectables” and aged wines I’ve purchased and the cellar for everything else. Not sure where I’m going to put the case of 94 Barbaresco I just bought though as the fridge is pretty full. 😂. Guess I’ll just need to have a risotto and truffle dinner party and drink some to make room. 😂.
I’m not surprised to read that you’re all in! That is one tricked out set up. Once you’ve experienced a letdown from being poorly stored, it drives the point home. Age on the car ride home…😂
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwineyeah, a little planning and protection saves me from lubricating my drain too often.
@@carlcadregari7768 Dumping bottles is a crime!
Great advice, I loved the red-light guy. Question on corked wines: is this fault the result of a) poor storage; b) sloppy bottling; c) bad luck, just random factors. Cheers!
He’s a cool guy, great energy, just a fun person to be around. Corked wines are caused by TCA interacting with the a chlorine wash to clean the corks. TCA can be in the pores of the cork. New technology has helped to greatly reduce the problem. To your points, it’s not poor storage or sloppy bottling, but bad luck can factor in.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine thanks for the detailed reply. My most recent corked experience was a buddy who brought a really nice vineyard-designated Kosta Brown on a golf buddy trip. He about cried when I told him it was corked!
@@baggrabbDid he contact the winery?
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine he’d held it for 3 or 4 years before opening. Can you still get an exchange that far out?
Curious what your thoughts are on decanting an old wine as far as sediment separation. I suppose every bottle is different but should decanting even be considered? If you don't decant, how do you keep the sediment from clouding the wine?
I avoid decanting old wine except when the sediment is very pronounced. Old wines tend to be fragile, many fall apart quickly when exposed to air. That said, if you have a large group and the wine will be poured quickly, go ahead and decant. If I’m sharing the wine with one other person, I prefer to stand the bottle upright for a day or two to allow the sediment to work down into the base of the bottle. The wine tends to hold up for a longer length of time.
A little off topic but what is the cork premium compared to a screwcap? It's been known for a while that screwcaps are superior to corks yet they persist out of tradition and perception. Also I would like to know more about quality wines that are screwcaps.
Screwcaps are better in terms of protecting wines from TCA spoilage, but corks have advantages as well. They allow for a small ingress of air to help the wine to develop/evolve. New generation screwcaps now allow for the same. Also, recent advances in cork production have eliminated much of the taint risk. As for the quality under screwcap, much is focused on wines meant to be consumed while youthful. Also note that nearly all wines from Australia and New Zealand are sold with a screwcap, even reds meant for long term aging.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine I guess that's why you're up there and just down here at my keyboard! Thanks for responding thoughtfully and I love your content!
@@moRobster Thanks for the good word and support of my channel. 🍷
Have you ever been to Burn's Restaurant in Tampa, Florida?? It has the largest wine cellar in the world of any restaurant with 10,000 bottles +-. Enjoy!
I’ve been there. I lived in Jacksonville for many years, visited Tampa on occasion for business. It’s been maybe ten years since I was there. Isn’t that the place with the heavy red curtains at the entrance?
I have a wine rack in my kitchen with mostly $10-$50 drier red wines, 65F in the winter, but up to 75F in summer and receives indirect light. Anything I am intentionally aging goes down the cellar, but I had wines over a year here. How bad is this? When I am tasting the wine, is there a way to know if it was adversely affected?
The warm part of the year is a problem. 75F is not great, although it’s just a bit over the temp of many retail stores. Sudden dramatic temp change is not good. If the wines seem to lack aroma or have muted flavors, it’s a sign of storage being too warm. If there is a cooked or stewed fruit character, that’s a sure sign, but you shouldn’t have that issue.
Bob, I’ve read and heard that sparkling wines should be stored in the upright position. What’s your opinion?
Hi Lucy, I’ve heard that as well, but I store it horizontally and never had a problem. If you’re storing Champagne for a few months, vertically should not be a problem.
Unfortunately, I got affected by the hurricane in Florida and I wish I could store my wines properly again.
Hopefully you’ll be able to get back to normal soon.
On a side note I brought one of your recommended wines from Trader Joe's to a party and it was an all-around hit. I made sure to credit you.
That’s good to hear! I’m glad it worked out and thanks for the good word.
Burn's has been there for over 40 yrs that i know of! They serve aged meat, they have their own farm for fruits&veggies and herbs and spices! Located in the SOHO(South howard) section of downtown Tampa!
Tell them Mr.Todd sent you!!
Great place! Always plenty of great wine, many are reasonably priced as well.
Thanks for dispelling that notion about older = better. I also don't think I prefer tertiary notes :)
That notion needs to be put to rest! 😂
Built a wine shed in my garage, run it at 55 degrees. Holds 250 bottles, should have doubled the size. Now I need to drink really good wines more often. Poor me
Common problem! 😂 Double the capacity of what you think will be needed! Enjoy that really good wine!
I’m fascinated and respectful of people who have hundreds of wine bottles, BUT do these people actually drink the wine or do they simply collect bottles as a hobby?
In this specific situation, some of the wine is for the owner, but some is used for charity causes.
Thanks for another very interesting and educational video!
I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🍷