YOUR WINE QUESTIONS ANSWERED

I don’t have a proper WIne cellar, as I lIve In a modest suburban house, but I Would lIke to keep a small stock of WIne on hand. What is the best temperature at which to store wine, and how can I achieve this?

The ideal temperature for wine storage is about 15 °c. more important, though, is that it should be kept at a constant temperature. Wine, like any liquid, expands when it is warmed, which can result in some of the wine being forced out past the cork. When the wine cools it contracts, drawing air into the bottle. for practical purposes store the wine in a well-insulated cupboard, preferably away from an outside wall, and keep it closed, except when replacing or removing wine. You could add insulation to the cupboard by lining it with styrofoam sheets.

We lIve In the karoo Where WInter can be extremelY cold. Is there a simple recipe for making a warming Glühwein that we could enjoy by the fireside to cheer up the chilly winter evenings?

Yes, indeed there is. a bottle of inexpensive red wine should help to warm the cockles on even the chilliest winters evening. try this recipe. place two cups of hot water and one cup of brown sugar in a saucepan and bring it to the boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. now add three sticks of cinnamon, three whole cloves and half a teaspoon of grated nutmeg to the liquid. finally, add the bottle of red wine and heat it all to almost boiling temperature, stirring gently. try not to let it boil, as that drives off the alcohol, which is part of the warming magic, then strain it into a jug and serve in coffee mugs.

Your Wine FAQs

your Wine Questions ansWered

some WIne lovers InsIst that red WIne should be alloWed to “breathe” for a WhIle after the cork Is pulled. Is this really necessary and for how long should it breathe? actually, no. The tiny surface area of the wine in the neck of the bottle is too small to make a difference during the brief time you wait for it to “breathe.” The wine receives enough aeration during the pouring. If, however, you enjoy a moment of breathless anticipation before taking that first delicious sip, then by all means let it breathe, burp or snort to its heart’s content. frankly, we believe this is just a waste of good drinking time.

Is there a simple recipe to make Glühwein? What is the best temperature to store wine? Why are we given “drink by” dates with our wines? Is it really necessary for a wine to breathe?

WhY are We GIven “drInk bY...” dates WIth the WInes We receIve from the WIne-of-the-month club? surely once we have paid for a wine we are entitled to drink it whenever we want.

Indeed you are. but wine is a constantly changing commodity. It can be quite rough and acidic at first, getting steadily smoother with time, then becoming flat and dull, and finally degenerating into bad vinegar. The “drink by” dates are merely guidelines to enable you to enjoy your wines while they are at their best.