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Champagne Cellaring

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 12:08 am
by platinum
Hi all I just purchased a couple of Dom Perignon 1996 and was wondering how to cellar this wine? I will probably down one soon so I guess room temp untill I am ready should be ok but what about the one to put away?

TIA

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 3:54 am
by Mike Hawkins
Needs to be a bit cooler than for table wines - say 10 celcius.

Mike

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 12:05 pm
by Hacker
Mike Hawkins wrote:Needs to be a bit cooler than for table wines - say 10 celcius.

Mike


I didn't realise that it needs to be so low. I have quite a few 96 Doms and plan to let some sleep for 10-15 years at 15-17 degrees. Am I wasting my time at this temp?

Do any commercial units get temp down to 10 degrees?

cheers,

David M.

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 1:22 pm
by TORB
Mike Hawkins wrote:Needs to be a bit cooler than for table wines - say 10 celcius.

Mike


Why?

Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 12:20 am
by Mike Hawkins
Ric,

Don't know the chemical reasons, but every book I have read suggests about 4 degrees celcius less than table wines. That having been said, I have never put it to the test (ie same champers cellared at say 10 and 14 degrees.

A few posts on other forums would indicate 10 celcius (50 farenheit) is about right.

I am sure more learned individuals out there will have the right explanation.

Mike

Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 5:00 pm
by Guest
Mike Hawkins wrote:Needs to be a bit cooler than for table wines - say 10 celcius.

Mike


NOT TRUE 15 IS FINE

Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 9:43 am
by Baby Chickpea
I've consulted all my Champagne books and they all say 12-14C is fine in a cellar ex-Champagne. The 10C comes from some of the underground chalky and limestone cellars in Reims and Ay where the temp is often around 10C for storage while on lees. And should be served at 10C too, whereas as most people chill te buggery out of chamapgne. Rule of thumb - only requires 40 minutes in a fridge. Cold but not freezing cold.

Fizz

Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 9:56 am
by Davd C
The other thing with cellaring Fizz is don't cellar it in those ceramic pipes.

I've seen a few times that when sparkling bottles are slide in and out of these, the glass is scratched which affects the integrety of the bottle.

The bottle may explode at some later point in time (remember, the pressure in a sparkling bottle is about the same as in a car tyre).

DavidC