What to do with a vintage wine box

The primary function of the vintage wine box, naturally, is to store high quality vintage wine. The box, when stowed properly, will keep your high value wine secure from shocks and breakages in transit, and by keeping the bottles on their side will ensure that the corks maintain some contact with the wine and don’t dry out. If you’re fortunate enough to have a wine cellar at home, you can leave your wine intact in the vintage wine box with no major impetus to remove the bottles.

When you’re finished with the vintage wine box – either because you couldn’t resist drinking the contents, or you have removed the bottles and found them a new home in your cellar, for example in a Eurocave wine cabinet – you have some options for what to do with it!

Five things to do with an old vintage wine box

1. Use it as a flower bed or space for growing herbs or vegetables. Particularly if you live in an apartment or if garden space is at a minimum, you’ll be surprised what you can grow within the confines of a vintage wine box!
2. Re-use it to store more wine. Just because your vintage wine box says Château Mouton Rothschild 2005 on the side, it doesn’t mean that you can’t use it to store whatever other wine you may have lying around – think a good value Rioja. Your wine will thank you for it, and you may even impress a guest or two!
3. Make a bookshelf, or get a few boxes together and make a set of bookshelves. Whether you build from the floor or atop another surface (a worktop or mantelpiece, perhaps), you’ll be surprised just how versatile the vintage wine box can be and how easily you can make a very stylish “reclaimed” bookshelf. Minimal DIY know-how is needed, though you may want to screw the boxes together for stability.
4. Make a cupboard or chest of drawers. This one requires a little more DIY skill, but in a nutshell: You will need several vintage wine boxes. Carefully, you will need to knock out one of the long side panels (traditionally these boxes are opened from the flat piece at the top and all four side panels remain intact). Lying flat, stack the boxes one on top of one another. Screw all pieces together and hey presto!
5. Break the vintage wine box down into flat parts and use each side as a bespoke cheese board, chopping board or other presentation board.

If all else fails, you can consider selling your vintage wine box. You may not make a fortune, but take it down to your local garage sale or put it on eBay and make a little bit of cash for your troubles!

[cta_generico id=2584]

La entrada Five things to do with that old vintage wine box se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

But, if you’re serious about your wine, it could make sense to invest in a wine fridge. After all, if you’ve put all that time and effort into choosing wines which will age well, it would be terrible if you opened a bottle for a special occasion, only to find that incorrect storage has made your wine undrinkable. So what do you need to consider before taking the plunge and buying your own wine fridge?

Capacity

As the saying goes, size matters. Think about how much wine you want to store. Are you looking at wine for the odd dinner party, or starting a serious collection. Wine fridges which fit under your kitchen worktop generally carry around 40 bottles but if you’re serious about buying wine as an investment, you will want to look at buying the largest fridge you can afford. Also, consider what type of wine you like because if you’re opting for larger or thicker bottles, it goes without saying that you will be able to fit fewer in.

Red, white or rosé?

Do you have a favourite colour or do you drink white and your other half prefers red? As a general rule, whites and roses need to be stored at a lower temperature than reds. Too cold or too warm and the temperature can impair the taste of your wine. If you’re opting for a state-of-the-art fridge, you’ll find there are different temperature zones within your unit so you can store white at the bottom and your reds at the top. But, if you don’t want to spend too much, you may have to make a compromise and bring your wine up or down to the right temperature before you drink it.

Humidity

For sure, it’s becoming less common to have a cork in your wine these days, but some bottles still use this method. That’s why humidity and not just temperature is important. If it’s too dry, you’ll find corks will dry out and won’t form a proper seal anymore, but if it’s too damp, you could get mould.

Shelf life

If you’re looking at an entry-level fridge, you’ll tend to find they have fixed shelving. But more expensive models are likely to have shelves you can roll out or adjust so you can change the configuration depending on what type of wine and shape of bottles you have in your collection.

To see or not to see

A stylish wine fridge can not just store your wine correctly, but change the look of your kitchen or dining room. But, even though they look great, think about whether you really want glass doors. They don’t insulate as well as solid doors and could let sunlight in depending on where they’re positioned. If you really want to show off your collection and, let’s face it, who wouldn’t, then check if the glass is UV-protected.

Where?

You might think that if you have a wine fridge, you can put it anywhere and it will retain the inside temperature. But you should really try to store it where the room temperature doesn’t change too much, so try to avoid putting your collection in the garage which can be subject to extremes of heat and cold.

Cost

It goes without saying that cost is a factor. You can pay as little as a hundred pounds or euros to the price of a small car for a wine fridge. You can even have a bespoke wine fridge made to perfectly fit under your stairs.

Choosing the ideal wine fridge is all about what’s right for you, what you drink and who you drink it with.

[cta_generico id=2584]

La entrada How to choose a wine fridge se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

Types of wine chillers

A wine chiller comes in different sizes and shapes. The same applies to its price. Having this in mind, what should we do after buying some expensive and succulent wine? There are many stores that sell wine chillers globally. It is therefore advisable to seek help on the most decent wine chiller.

A thermoelectric wine chiller is an example of a superb wine chiller to use in any family setting. This wine chiller conserves energy since it has been endowed with a Peltier instrument. It is pocket friendly in terms of electricity charges owing to the minimal electricity charges. A thermoelectric wine chiller is relaxing and environmental friendly. It produces less noise compared to a compressor wine chiller. The device maintains wine temperature as per the labeled instructions on the wine bottle hence preserving the taste too. This wine chiller occupies a little space in a room thus it’s much preferred.

The compressor wine chiller is another type of a classic wine chiller. It has been provided in different shapes and even more enhanced with the recent touch technology. This device gives a consumer diverse options on storing wine with the numerous racks provided therein. Choosing the right compressor wine can be very tricky. A client should therefore look out for the racks, cabinets, doors, cooling, venting and the construction tools before buying one. A compressor wine chiller works in a similar manner as a refrigerator. It however emits large vibration sounds that are disturbing. It also consumes a lot of power hence expensive to retain.  

Using a wine chiller

How can one put a wine chiller into proper use? This might seem as a tiring and painful process but it’s not the case. Any wine chiller deserves much attention just like wine. This includes the cleaning and storage process. Understanding your wine chiller is the first process to an antique and succulent wine. This applies in regards to the taste of the wine. Depending on the type of wine individuals would love to chill, they must understand the aroma and taste of the wine and the time it would take for it to be antique. In red wines for instance the taste of the wine will become softer with time hence producing a tasty flavor. The appearance is something else to note. Wines may change in color depending on the period of time one stores them. Therefore before dashing to store wine read the instructions on the label and comprehend the time it would take for the wine to mature.

Ascertain the required temperatures for a wine before storing it in a wine chiller.  A metal wine chiller only requires ice cubes, cold water and some rock salt to chill the wine. A thermoelectric wine chiller on the other hand requires an allowance of standing space between the wines to allow ventilation. It has to be in the necessary temperatures. A thermoelectric wine chiller should be placed in an upright posture on a flat surface area that is clean and steady.

The cleaning process of a wine chiller is straightforward. Switch off the power and remove the racks from the cabinets. Wipe off the frost and moisture that can be seen using a clean dry piece of cloth. Afterwards, individuals can switch on the power and store the wines back in the wine chiller. The cleaning period should be done four times a year to achieve better results.

Wine might be expensive but the taste is worth a lifetime.

[cta_generico id=2584]

La entrada How can one put a wine chiller into proper use? se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

1. Oxygen is the great enemy for the wine. Use a vacuum pump for wine bottles, this way the wine should last longer.

2. Keep the bottle in a cool place. Low temperatures help for the durability of the wine.

3. Even light is harmful for the wine, so keep it better in a dark place.

4. Do you prefer Cava rather than wine? Here is a simple advice: Do not forget to close the bottles well, so that the bubbles do not disappear, and keep the bottle in the refrigerator.

One cannot say how long it takes a wine to become bad? That depends on many things, such as the conditions we have at home (temperature, lighting conditions, smells …), or just on the product itself. This should not deter you, however, to enjoy a glass of wine, with or without accompaniment.

La entrada 4 tips how to keep a bottle of wine after it has been opened se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

The first thing to take into consideration is that many wines have a recommended cellaring period but not every wine is meant to be cellared, young wine is best consumed young, at the peak of its potential.

POSITION

It is very important to keep the bottles horizontal, lying down. If the bottle is left standing, the cork will dry up and the oxygen will penetrate the bottle, oxidizing the wine. It should also be stored in a way that you don’t need to “disturb” other bottles in order to take one bottle from your cellar. This is not only a matter of convenience but, also, vibrations have negative effects on wine ageing.

TEMPERATURE

The cellar temperature must not exceed 24ºC; up from that temperature oxidation starts taking place. Abrupt temperature changes should also be avoided since it will accelerate the ageing process and may be damage the wine. Temperatures lower than 12ºC will not necessarily hurt the wine but the ageing process will be slowed down.

HUMIDITY

Humidity keeps the cork wet and minimizes evaporation, it is well advised keeping humidity levels between 70-80%. At higher levels there is a risk of mould growth.

LIGHT

Light is one of the enemies of the cellaring process and it can alter the characteristics of your wine. The ultraviolet (UV) light can effectively change the flavour in a negative way.

MOLD

Do not keep your wine near fermenting foods, such as cheese or other sorts, since mould aromas can penetrate the cork and will definitely ruin your wine. It is best to find a place which is fresh, dark, not too dry and free from vibrations and aromas.

La entrada The best way to store wine se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

Nowadays we can find different solutions for us to open a bottle, drink the quantity we wish, close it and preserve the rest for a few more days. Of all the different options we wish to recommend the wine vacuum pump due to its simplicity and good results. The vacuum pump gets to reduce the wine oxidation and eliminates the air in the bottle. If we combine the vacuum pump with a wine cooler the perfect conservation is guaranteed.

No doubt it is the perfect gadget to have at home. However, we think it is perfect for couples or singles since it allows you to open a bottle without feeling any remorse.

La entrada Wine vacuum pumps to preserve your wine se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

The Magnum is the ideal format to preserve long-stored wines. In the first place, it is believed to favor a more expressive wine. Since there is less oxygen in relation with the quantity of liquid, the evolution process of the wine together with the nasal and tasting characteristics improve.

This way if there is a larger quantity of liquid, the chances of an altered wine due to thermal conditions diminish. Taking into account that it guarantees a long lived wine it seems the most adequate size if you wish to invest in a cellar.

Magnum format crianza, reserve and grand reserve wines usually get better scores.
If all the experts confirm the Magnum as the best conserved, the best ageing in bottle and the longest life then, why is it not widely known? Why don’t we get it recommended at restaurants? It seems we still have a long way to go and all of us can help enhance the Magnum virtues.

La entrada Size does matter se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

In general, a wine should be kept ideally in a ventilated room with a constant temperature between 13ºC and 15 ºC and humidity between 60% and 70%. The room should not have rarefied odors or direct light. These conditions are hard to get if we do not have a room especially set up for these matters.

Some of our advices for the correct preservation of wines are the following:

– Find a fresh place – maybe a basement, a spot under the stairs or a piece of furniture where the temperature can be kept at 20ºC. The bottles should not be exposed at high temperatures such as stoves or heaters since they would spoil our wine. Please, never keep your wine in the kitchen. This is the worst place to keep a wine due to the high temperatures it might reach while cooking.

– Bottles should be stored in a horizontal position so that the liquid is always in contact with the cork and it does not dry up.

– It is important not to move them very much.

– To avoid the direct light (both the sun rays and the artificial light) since it would undergo a chemical alteration affecting its quality.

It is also important to highlight that not all wines should be stored for a long period of time. White wines, for instance, cannot be stored but the chardonnay aged in oak barrels can. Sparkling wines should not be stored since they can lose their pressure and bubble quality.

La entrada Tricks for wine preservation at home se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

There is a well known Spanish saying that relates wine quality directly with its age. This saying is applied to those people keeping a young look even as they grow older– “Albert just like the good wine is looking even better as time passes”. It was widely thought that a good wine was the one undergoing an ageing process in opposition to young wines thought to be of less quality. Nowadays, this premise has been disregarded thanks to the advances in enology.

We now know that each case should be analyzed keeping in mind its specific cycle of life. There is a first phase in which the wine undergoes an amazing improvement. In the second phase it reaches stability and therefore it is the perfect moment for its consumption. Finally it undergoes a decline and it will start losing its qualities.
According to the type of wine, its cycle will last a certain period of time. As a general rule we can establish the following criteria to save a wine before it loses its magnificence:
– Young wine: 2 years maximum
– Crianza wine: 6 years maximum
– Reserve wine: 10 years maximum
– Gran reserve wine: 15 years maximum

Although we should not apply a mathematical formula to wines, in general terms we can say that a wine with a high level of alcohol, total acidity and polyphenols can be a long-lived wine.
Speaking about white wines, the premise that the younger the wine the earlier we have to drink it is currently accepted. However, this does not mean there are no exceptions. A good example is the French Chablís (widely known as Chardonnay) or some of the Rieslings coming from the Rhin that can be saved up to 25 years in a perfect state.

If you have saved your wine for a long time following no criteria, I am afraid that the final result might be a surprise. It can either be a good wine or most probably a spoiled or a sour wine. In short, your little treasure might be turned into a few bottles with no value.

As we always say, the best we can do is ask an expert so that we do not go wrong and we can enjoy each wine at its perfect moment keeping all its qualities.

La entrada As for the wine, the older the better? se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.