STORAGE CONDITIONS Suppose you have just accumulated a dozen or so bottles of wine at home and you need to find a place to properly store them. Wine can be kept over long periods of time in any area that is not brightly lit and has a relatively cool (anywhere from 5 - 18C) constant temperature. Moderate humidity is also a factor to consider in order to keep the corks in good resilient condition, thereby preventing them from shrinking. A relative humidity of 50-80% is the acceptable range, but about 70% is recommended. Another consideration in choosing a storage space is to find one that's out of the way of disturbances so that vibrations and movement are not a factor. A closet shelf, a kitchen cabinet or under a stairwell can work quite well.

Most people agree that light and heat do affect wine, but not to the extent once thought. Modern, sanitary production methods have made the wines of British Columbia sound and stable. Most of us, even if we intend to keep wine for several years, make do with a cool, dark place with a shelf or two for the wine bottles to lie on their sides. Even the carton that wines are originally package in, generally twelve to a box, laid on its side, can work well. Bottles that are closed with cork need to be kept horizontal so that the corks don't dry out. Bottles with metal or plastic screw cap closures can lie down or stand upright because there is no cork to dry out and let air in. Champagne and sparkling wines with plastic closures can also be stored upright.

WHITE WINES
White table wines that are fermented in a steel tank will only keep their fresh fruit flavour for three to five years (maximum) in storage. White wines that have been barrel aged in oak will have a longer life as the process of malolactic fermentation will increase its ageabilty. However, always expect the exceptions in wine making. Riesling, for example, is enjoyed while young, but can also be aged by some collectors in order to enjoy the diesel characteristics that develop over time.

RED WINES While the vast majority of red wines produced today can be enjoyed immediately, red wines as a general rule will last 5 - 10 years or even longer because of the tannins they contain. Tannins are extracted from the skins, stems and seeds of red grapes. A good number of red wines will benefit from some aging and some will benefit from a lot of aging. Young red wines that taste harshly astringent now, may very well be fantastic in 5 or 10 or even 20 years. Tannic compounds soften with time, so aging a red can benefit its drinkability considerably, especially with certain varieties that are more tannic (such as; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah). Pinot Noir also benefits from some time in the bottle as well (4 - 5 years). There can be a risk of over-aging a red wine; the result will be a loss of fruit characteristics as well as a change in colour and body. Some reds are meant to be enjoyed young and fresh, while all the fruit characteristics are in abundance eg. Gamay Noir.

Wines can be refrigerated for many weeks with no ill effects. After table wines have been opened, leftover wines should be re-closed tightly and put in the refrigerator. They will be palatable for several days. Dessert and appetizer wines, more hardy than their table wine cousins because of their higher alcohol and sugar content, should keep well for a month or more after being opened if kept refrigerated.