The Cork: A Mystery on Its Own.
Cork Presentation. The ritual of the presentation of the cork has a rich and fascinating history dating back to the late 1800's. A phylloxera (root louse) devastation to the vineyards severely limited the supply of great wines. Restaurateurs would remove labels on inferior wines and replace them with labels from superior wines. This made it necessary for patrons to protect themselves by checking the branding on the cork to ensure that what they ordered was, in fact, what they were served.
When presented with a cork today, feel it to check for its integrity, read and match the branding on the cork to the bottle and set it aside. There is little to be learned from the cork. The proof is in the wine.
Corked" wines. If you've ever had a wine that smelled or tasted of mold, you've experienced a wine that may have been "corked." Today, between five and eight percent of wines are tainted with Trichloroanisole (TCA). This substance, found naturally in plants and trees, is imparted to the wine through the cork. Corked wines are a major concern for winemakers as it destroys millions of cases per year and puts reputations at stake. Amazing as it may seem twist-off caps may offer a better alternative and many great wineries in California, Australia and New Zealand are pioneering the trend.
Common Tasting Terms
Terminology | Description |
Acidity | A critical element of wine that is responsible for |
| preserving the wines freshness. Excess acidity |
| results in an overly tart and sour wine. |
| |
Balance | A desired trait where tannin, fruit and acidity are |
| in total harmony. Wines with good balance tend |
| to age gracefully. |
| |
Body | The weight and presence of wine in the mouth |
| provided by the alcohol and tannin level. Full- |
| bodied wines tend to have this strong |
| concentration. |
| |
Bouquet | The blending of a wine's aroma within the bottle |
| over a period of time, caused by volatile acidity. |
| |
Complex | A subjective term often used in tasting. A wine is |
| said to be complex if it offers a variety of flavors |
| and scents that continue to evolve as it develops. |
| |
Flabby | A wine that lacks structure, or is heavy to the |
| taste, lacks acidity. |
| |
Full-Bodied | Wine high in alcohol and extract, generally |
| speaking, fills the mouth, powerful. |
| |
Lean | Generally describes wines that are slim, lacking of |
| generosity or thin. |
| |
Oaky | A desirable flavor imparted to wine if done in |
| moderation. Most wines are aged in oak barrels |
| one to three years, thereby receiving this toasty |
| oak characteristic. However, if a weak wine is left |
| in contact too long with an oak barrel it will tend |
| to be overpowered with an oaky taste. |
| |
Tannin | Tannins are extracted from the grape skins and |
| stems and are necessary for a well-balanced red |
| wine. Tannins are easily identified in wine tasting |
| as the drying sensation over the gums. Tannins |
| generally fade as a wine ages. |
| |
Ideal Wine Storage Considerations
Temperature: The most important element about storage temperature is stability. If wine is kept in a stable environment between 40°F and 65°F, it will remain sound. A small 1-2 degree temperature fluctuation within a stable environment is acceptable. Larger temperature fluctuations can affect the corks ability to seal, allowing the wine to "leak" from the bottle.
Humidity: The traditional view on humidity maintains that wines should be stored on their sides in 50% - 80% relative humidity to ensure cork moisture and proper fit in the bottle. Contemporary wisdom suggests that the cork surface is too small to be impacted by humidity. Further the cork is sealed with a metal or wax capsule making humidity penetration impossible. The concept of a humid storage environment was derived from the necessity of wineries to maintain moisture in their cellars to keep wooden barrel staves swollen, preventing wine evaporation and product loss. In fact, vineyards estimate as much as a 10% product loss per year due to evaporation while wine is aging in the wooden barrels. Humidity, however, was not intended for the modern home cellar where wine is stored in glass bottles with sealed corks.
Light: UV rays are not only harmful to people, they are damaging to wines - especially those in clear bottles. Since oxygen molecules in wine absorb UV rays, wine should never be stored in direct light for long periods of time.
Vibration: Provided that sediment is left undistributed and particles are not suspended, vibration in a storage environment is not an issue. Wines can become flat or tired when voids and vacuums are created inside the wine bottle. In order to create voids and vacuums within a liquid, aggressive motion or shaking of the wine bottle would have to occur.
The Right Temperature for Wine
Temperature | Wines |
Approximately 60°F (15°C) | Red |
50°F - 55°F (10°C -12°C) | White |
Approximately 45°F (7°C) | Sparkling |
Wine Captain® Models - A Touch of Elegance
In 1985 U-Line was the first North American appliance manufac- turer to develop a residential wine storage unit, the Wine Cap- tain®. Each U-Line Wine Captain® model is designed to impress and inspire anyone with an interest in wine by providing cellar con- ditions in stylish, undercounter units. U-Line Wine Captain models offer stable storage temperatures, a 50% internal relative humidity and protection from UV light rays. U-Line has the largest product offering available, making storing, presenting, and sharing your wine effortless and elegant.
