Winter 2020

Head sommelier at The Vineyard hotel and UK sommelier of the year 2019, ROMAIN BOURGER has some advice on how to start your own wine cellar TOP TIPPLES

F irst of all you need some space – the size will determine how big your wine collection will be. It is important to have a dark room, with a constant humidity (70 per cent) and temperature (14°C) as well as no odour or vibrations. It is also important to keep your bottle of wine laid down and your spirit standing up (due to the high alcohol that can damage the cork) Keeping the room dark will avoid the wines being light-struck (the chemical reaction between light and wine can form hydrogen-sulphides and mercaptans creating skunky odours, onions, cooked cabbage…). The bottles that best protect wines are the dark amber bottles – bear this in mind if your cellar is not fully light proof. The constant temperature will help the wine to age at its own pace. If the gap of temperatures is too big between seasons, this will cause the cork to shrink and expand thus losing the grip that it has on the bottle and will allow air and bacteria to get in. You might also start to see leakages from some of your bottles. If the cellar temperature is too high, it might cause the wines to maderise (to become reddish or brownish as a result of improper storage) and get oxydised. The humidity will help to keep the cork moist and the label in a good state, although, too much humidity can cause mould to develop. Keeping your wines laid down is also key to keep the cork in the best conditions. It will also help if you want to decant your older bottles (pouring the wine from the bottle to a carafe delicately over a candle light to separate the wine from its sediments). Wine has always been subject to speculation, therefore, the rarer your bottles, the more your cellar will be worth.

mean that the wines are lesser in quality, but, generally speaking, they won’t be able to age for as long. One of my favourite example is 2004 or 2006 in Bordeaux, not as highly rated as 2000 or 2005 – the wines are very pleasant and ready to drink now. I tend to find them very approachable and fruit driven (even though they are already about 15 years old). If in doubt when buying wine, don’t hesitate to ask for advice. The key is also to be careful as a great vintage in one region might not be in another. You can also invest in magnums or bigger sizes as they would keep for longer compared to a 75cl bottle. The ideal storage spaces are natural cellars where you can have all the conditions required, although you can turn a room into a cellar. The best way is to isolate the walls and introduce an air conditioning unit to turn the room into a giant walking fridge (but not as cold!). It would be wise in this case to also have a hydrometer and thermometer to make sure that the humidity and temperature are fully controlled. It is also helpful to keep a cellar book to know your stocks and where your bottles are. If possible, you can separate your cellar (or wine fridge!) in two areas – one for the wines to keep and age, one for the wines ready to be drunk. Software about stock management, where you can record all the wines in your collection, is easily available. Alternatively, you can also use bin tags that work equally well. Wines should be stored laid down with the label facing up. Racks are usually better and safer than shelves, although you might want to be careful when you put your bottles in (or take them out) to not damage the label; this can be avoided by wrapping them in cling film. If you are a bit of a handyman, you can also use your wooden boxes to create drawers in which to keep you precious bottles. Talking about aging, if you try a wine which is young and you like it as it is – even though it might be a wine you could keep – don’t take the risk to age it for too long.

The bottles that best protect wines are the dark amber bottles - bear this in mind if your cellar is not fully light proof

My suggestions are, if you buy wines that you want to keep, to look for the “best rated” vintages – so called becasue of the exceptional conditions in which these wines were made. They will be able to keep for longer, although, they might not be ready to be drunk for a few years. For the day-to-day wines that you would prefer to drink sooner, have a look for the “less rated” vintages. It doesn’t

Wine is like food and everybody has different taste. When wine ages, it develops very different aromas that one might or might not like. At the end of the day, winemakers make wines to be drunk, shared and enjoyed!

50

O&A WINTER 2020