It all begins with choosing a bottle to open. That means a trip to the cellar.
by: Amy Lieberfarb
There are two aspects to consider for any wine: storage and serving temperature.
Due to the bountiful presence of tannins in Cabernet Sauvignon, it is a wine that ages well, especially when produced in the traditional style of winemaking developed in Bordeaux. Cabernet bottles can be stored for decades to allow the tannins to soften and the wine to develop its full complement of flavors.
When storing wine for a long period of time, temperature becomes critical. Light, humidity and vibration also play a role. A steady temperature and humidity that varies only a few degrees at a time is best with no vibrations.
The ideal temperature for storing Cabernet Sauvignon wine bottles is between 45-65 degrees. 52-55 degrees is said to be optimal by most experts or 11-16 centigrade. Light can degrade the wine over time and so storing your wine in the dark is preferable. Low humidity can additionally cause evaporation in your wine bottles. The reason why the word cellar has become associated with wine storage is because cellars tend to be damp, dark and cool. This is an ideal combination for long term wine storage. The closer you can come to cellar-like conditions for storing your wine collection, the better your bottles will age.
