Wine Storage
Wine is best stored at a constant temperature no more than 72 degrees,
preferably lower. Temperature fluctuation will shorten the shelf life of
your wine and in some cases ruin completely. A garage, for instance, is
not a good location as the temperature can vary too much.
Care of Your Bottles
When empty rinse well with hot tape water 2 - 3 times (do not use soap).
Remove labels and shrink caps. Let dry thoroughly and store upside
down in a box lined with paper towel on the bottom. The tiniest bit of
dirt or mould can ruin your wine. Our custom labels are best removed by
simply peeling off. Soaking them in water can make them more gluey and
harder to remove. Most other labels are best removed by soaking in hot
water. A convenient way is to keep a large yogurt container under your
sink. Fill it with hot water and put the wine bottle in while doing your
dishes. By the time you're done it will be soaked off.
Tartrate Crystals
Tartrate crystals, also called “Wine Diamonds”, are a natural product of
wine. In Europe, these crystals are accepted as a sign that the wine is made in
a natural way without over-processing. “Wine Diamonds” are absolutely
harmless, although a superficial glance can alarm people who may think that they
are pieces of glass. For these crystals to form, the wine temperature has to be
low. Also, the higher the alcohol content, the more likely the appearance of the
crystals. Decanting is an easy way of solving the problem of “wine diamonds”.
Put the wine in the refrigerator standing up for a couple of hours, the tartrate
will drop to the bottom. Carefully pour it into a different container to serve.
Some of our higher end wines, mostly the Cellar Craft Crushed Grape Packs,
may develop tartrate crystals.
Guidelines to Wine and Food Pairing
Match your wine to the strongest flavour on the plate. Balance the weight of the
wine with the weight of the food. A full flavour requires a full bodied wine; a
simple dish requires a simple wine.
Fatty, greasy or rich dishes, need a dry wine with good acidity to clean the
palate. Salty dishes need a slightly sweet wine, with full fruit flavours, and
little to no tannins.
Hot, spicy dishes pair well with fruity wines having refreshing acid, and food
featuring cream sauces and butter require wines of good fruit with creamy
character, or contrasting sharper acidity to cleanse the palate. A dessert wine
should be sweeter than the dessert.
Rare cooked meats need young, tannic reds, whereas well-done meats need older or
fruity reds with little to no tannins.
