Newbie to storing wines long term - questions :)

[sejanus]

Hi Guys

Pretty new to wines in general, only really tasted my first red about 2 years ago but since then have become pretty addicted to the stuff.

We have a 90 bottle wine fridge which is always dangerously full. Because the fridge is so full in general, I was thinking of buying a 2nd smaller fridge just for bottles we don't really intend to open anytime in the next few years. I have a few expensive bottles already and am a bit worried at some point myself or the wife might scratch or even knock one out with the constant use of the current fridge.

So after all that can anyone recommend a good quality smallish fridge? The current fridge we have is a cheapie and given we already have some expensive wines I don't mind spending a bit on a good quality one. But it doesn't need to necessarily be as big as the current one.

The wines we have in it at the moment that we aren't in a rush to open is a 2008 Grange, a 2010, 2009, 2004, 1999 RWT, A 2009 St Henris, a 03 Dom Perignon, a 02 Bollinger La Grande Annee, and a 2004 House of Arras Vintage & Disgorged. I'm going to be adding some Henschke to it soon, just not sure which ones yet. I know the Penfold Reds will last for ages, but is there any rush to knock off the bubbly stuff or are they ok to sit away for a few years as well?

cheers

Gav

[dave vino]

If you are in Melbourne, Grays had a few of the 40 bottle Vintecs on auction. (finished last night)

Or Hardly Normals have the 30 bottle Vintec ones on special every now and again for around $599.

Kitchener have small ones as well for $850 + delivery.
http://www.kitchenerwinecabinets.com.au ... .asp?ID=22

But like anything everyone has their likes and dislikes.

[Polymer]

You may also want to consider off site storage....It isn't that expensive....Depending on how long your wine fridge lasts, it might even be cheaper (plus when you include the cost to run the fridge, it makes it even more attractive to use off site)...you're also less likely to have an issue where your fridge breaks down and boils your wine (slight exaggeration)....The downside/upside is accessibility...You have to make an intentional trip there so there aren't too many changes for things to get opened unintentionally or before you probably wanted to open them....I would look at it as, anything you don't plan on opening for several years is probably a good candidate for off site storage....

Champagne will age perfectly fine as long as you like aged Champagne...

[Michael R]

+1 on Polymers post.I've been happily using off-site for years exactly those reasons.

I also have a 120 bottle fridge at home, which gets plundered regularly, and wines drunk too young
Often I cant get the stuff into storage quick enough!

[Mike Hawkins]

Gav,

Dont know much about the Arras, but the Bolly should comfortably see out another 8+ years, and the DP 12+. The caveat is not everyone likes older champagne.

Re your comment on Henschke, the 2010 Mt Ed is out soon (I guess) and I will be going long on it given vintage conditions.


Mike

[rens]

This is another vote for off site storage. Most of the major capital cities have it available. I have about 400 bottles that cost me about $43/month (including insurance of about 10K) to store and I can go in 24/7 to get them out. The wines are stored inside a large 'locker' style cabinet that is padlocked inside a giant temperature controlled fridge that is about the size of a football field. There is individual passcoded entry, security cameras and insurance should all that fail. So for a bit over ten cents per bottle per month I think it is great value. Especially when you consider the cost of two 200 bottle wine fridges plus running costs.
I also have a 50 bottle fridge at home that I use to decant into and out of the off site cellar-best of both worlds.

[via collins]

And I'll fifth the off-site storage too. I pay remarkably similar rates to Rens for a remarkably similar amount of wine.

It sure as heck prevents spontaneous drinking and vinfanticide, and I like all the people I deal with at the facility.

[damonpeyo]

I sixth off site storage, brilliant idea, been doing this for two years, saved me randomly opening wines too early.

[Scotty vino]

Build a cellar!
One day, if I can negotiate it right with the boss, I wanna put one in.
20K i reckon. Well, based on web research and speaking with a building designer/engineer.
Pretty expensive really, but properly built, it's the ultimate man cave.
Being able to store 1500-2000 bottles+ with a small tasting area would go alright.

Currently I use a Single zone 110 VINTEC and my mate has a decent cellar about
5 mins from my house which houses a few bottles also.

[sejanus]

thanks guys, though not sure if offsite cellaring is needed as it's only a few bottles that i want to age, but I'll look into the pricing etc.

cheers

[Waiters Friend]

thanks guys, though not sure if offsite cellaring is needed as it's only a few bottles that i want to age, but I'll look into the pricing etc.

cheers

"it's only a few bottles that i want to age". Yeah, right. If you get the bug, it will be more than a few I said that (well, somebody said that) some years ago, and I keep bouncing off my 1000 bottle capacity.

[Polymer]

thanks guys, though not sure if offsite cellaring is needed as it's only a few bottles that i want to age, but I'll look into the pricing etc.

cheers

If you only have a few bottles to age you're planning on drink the rest relatively soon?

If so...I'm probably in the minority here.... but to me, wine is actually pretty tough....Unless it is going through crazy changes in temp or really hot temperatures, a lot of light...They're going to be ok for quite a while...Probably not what you want to do for years but if it were years you'd be storing them for aging...So if most of the stuff you have you plan on drinking within a year, you probably don't need a wine fridge...Or you can reserve the fridge for your upper tier of drink in a year wines and aging wines...and the rest won't need it.

As Waiters said though...Having a bunch of wine to age....that'll probably change quite a bit..and can change rather quickly...

[shauno]

I'd say get a 40-bottle Vintec on eBay for $250ish - once it's full of "long term" wines, buy another small fridge (or upgrade to a bigger one). Your 90-bottle should then be fine for all the "drink now" stuff

Failing that, off-site like everyone has suggested - but I like being able to 'see' my wine rather than have to go visit it offsite

[Ddavew]

i'm living in a old house, has a 1m height basement that i can fit in and out putting my wines there, i wrapped all my bottles with newspaper then put them in a 6 bottle case box, sealed and labelled. but some of the boxes starting to get wet and damaged which worries me a bit. if you have a basement too, you could try putting them down but use a different kind of boxes.

[cuttlefish]

i'm living in a old house, has a 1m height basement that i can fit in and out putting my wines there, i wrapped all my bottles with newspaper then put them in a 6 bottle case box, sealed and labelled. but some of the boxes starting to get wet and damaged which worries me a bit. if you have a basement too, you could try putting them down but use a different kind of boxes.

You're going to end up with moldy labels. Perhaps change to polystyrene boxes, or get some ventilation going down there.

[Ddavew]

You're going to end up with moldy labels. Perhaps change to polystyrene boxes, or get some ventilation going down there.[/quote]


yeh, i have a few bottles molded on the label in the first year down the basement, then i use newspaper to wrapped around them, the labels are still in good condition.