Question about storing bottles of wine...

[dangerousdon]

Okay, so from time to time I get a bottle of wine that is irregular in shape. Meaning that It won't fit in the wine rack. I know bottles need to be stored in a position so that the corks are continuously submersed or wetted. Looking for suggestions on a way to store these oddly shaped bottles. Looking at you @NurseDave for suggestions...or anyone else for that matter. I am specifically looking for a way to store the bottle below. I guess I could shove it in a cabinet sideways...but where is the fun in that?

 

[NurseDave]

Will it be more than a year or so? If not, I wouldn't worry about it being on the side.

 

[dangerousdon]

Will it be more than a year or so? If not, I wouldn't worry about it being on the side.

Not likely. Since the wife isn't preggos anymore and it's a wine that we both like...next couple of weeks I'm guessing. Thanks Dave.

If I were to store it...any suggestionos?

 

[NurseDave]

Not likely. Since the wife isn't preggos anymore and it's a wine that we both like...next couple of weeks I'm guessing. Thanks Dave.

If I were to store it...any suggestionos?

That's a Burgundy shape bottle. A lot of pinot in the US uses them. I hate them too. They take up more space and I can fit fewer bottles on a shelf in the cooler because you need to leave empty spots around them. I assume your rack has square openings means just for the "standard" bottles? If so I'd just suggest laying it down in a food cabinet. Just not over the fridge or stove.

 

[NurseDave]

Interesting, I read an article recently where it was suggested laying bottles down logically makes no sense because the headspace touching the cork is 100% humidity anyway.

 

[dangerousdon]

That's a Burgundy shape bottle. A lot of pinot in the US uses them. I hate them too. They take up more space and I can fit fewer bottles on a shelf in the cooler because you need to leave empty spots around them. I assume your rack has square openings means just for the "standard" bottles? If so I'd just suggest laying it down in a food cabinet. Just not over the fridge or stove.

Yeah...standard bottles. That is pretty much what I figured. And no...I NEVER store anything I enjoy consuming over the stove or fridge. Oils and wine especially. Quickest way to ruin almost anything is that ambient heat from cooking. So...pantry it is.

Interesting, I read an article recently where it was suggested laying bottles down logically makes no sense because the headspace touching the cork is 100% humidity anyway.

This makes sense I guess...but it wouldn't look nearly as cool!

 

[Spider]

Interesting, I read an article recently where it was suggested laying bottles down logically makes no sense because the headspace touching the cork is 100% humidity anyway.

Wouldn't the headspace be made up more of alcohol vapor than water vapor? Alcohol has a lower vapor point, so that seems logical. And it seems that Alcohol vapor may serve to be more drying to a cork than water vapor.

Assuming we're just talking about water vapor........ when it was corked, there was some air in it right? So that air is still going to be there, and will only hold as much water vapor as it could based on the temperature and pressure. Storing at a cooler temp means the air can hold less water vapor than if it was warm. I doubt that headspace could ever reach 100% humidity. If it did, you would definitely see condensation on the inside of the glass.

 

[NurseDave]

Dude, that sounds like partial pressure of gasses or something else I stopped my science education before learning. Personally 100s of years of practice is enough for me to keep them on their sides.

 

[dangerousdon]

Wouldn't the headspace be made up more of alcohol vapor than water vapor? Alcohol has a lower vapor point, so that seems logical. And it seems that Alcohol vapor may serve to be more drying to a cork than water vapor.

Assuming we're just talking about water vapor........ when it was corked, there was some air in it right? So that air is still going to be there, and will only hold as much water vapor as it could based on the temperature and pressure. Storing at a cooler temp means the air can hold less water vapor than if it was warm. I doubt that headspace could ever reach 100% humidity. If it did, you would definitely see condensation on the inside of the glass.

Damn! Someone paid attention in Chemistry!

 

[CBLindsay]

Wouldn't the headspace be made up more of alcohol vapor than water vapor? Alcohol has a lower vapor point, so that seems logical. And it seems that Alcohol vapor may serve to be more drying to a cork than water vapor.

Assuming we're just talking about water vapor........ when it was corked, there was some air in it right? So that air is still going to be there, and will only hold as much water vapor as it could based on the temperature and pressure. Storing at a cooler temp means the air can hold less water vapor than if it was warm. I doubt that headspace could ever reach 100% humidity. If it did, you would definitely see condensation on the inside of the glass.

Dude, that sounds like partial pressure of gasses or something else I stopped my science education before learning. Personally 100s of years of practice is enough for me to keep them on their sides.

That’s why I SHAKE my wine, slap it on the bottom, flip it right side up, set it on the counter ...open it and drink it. The stuff from the $.99cent store seems to taste pretty much the same anyway. I prefer the adult drink box ones anyway, pop a straw in there blow and some bubbles so nobody else wants any and it’s ALL YOURS.

But science wise, it’s pretty wonky stuff but in a water/ethanol mixture where the ethanol is less than 20-25% of the mix and the basic pressure inside the bottle remains fixed, the water maintains a higher vapor pressure than the ethanol. So it is very likely (most probable) that the vapor that collects in the headspace is at least mostly water. The vapor dynamics change pretty quickly when the temperature rises above 85 degrees F so storing below that temperature would still be very important. The unanswered question is whether the vapor (even if it is 100% water) is enough to keep a cork properly hydrated so it is able to protect you $1 wine from properly aging and become BETTER.

you should be able to Google or search khan academy for a water/ethanol concentration vapor pressure chart that shows /proves more simply what I just said. I didn’t do any experiments involving wine but I did do water/ethanol vapor pressure labs in organic chemistry so I have seen the concept tested in real life. I can definitely say there is a concentration somewhere in the high 30’s low 40% that water is no longer the stronger at room temperature.