Proper Humidity, Label Protection & Level Guide

Proper Humidity

Wine should be stored at a humidity of 70% or greater. Remember in the great french chateau cellars the walls shine and glisten with water. However the bottles do not have their labels on, since humidity  is an "enemy" of labels. If the label possesses some dust on itself, bin soiling can easily occur. Nevertheless if the humidity is not at this level the cork over a long period of time, even if the wine is laying down will shrink at top .  The diffusivity of the wine over a period of time  will decrease the transport of water within the cork and again the cork will shrink.  This occurs because the submicron particles in wine  will decrease the diffusivity of the water within the cork and not allow for a "very" tight fit at the top of the cork. This effectively shorten the length of the cork and allows for air to "very very" slowly enter the wine bottle  and for the wine to evaporate from within the bottle...causing the level of wine to drop within the bottle or lower ullage! (See the level chart below)

When the bottle is laying down fluid enters the cork from both sides . The outer side with humidity  of the order of  70 % and on the inner sider via the wine. Since the diffusivity of water is greater than wine you will always have water diffusing from the outside in and not the converse. Consequently the cork will always stay expanded and allow for a very tight fit in the neck of the bottle with no air entering the bottle.  AIR IS A KILLER OF WINE.   (It oxidizes the alcohol to an acid called acetic acid -- known as vinegar.)  All man made storage facilities in order to maintain this humidity would be cost "ineffective."  The electric and maintainence bills would be to HIGH. At the cave,  nature takes care of your wine, and it will last for tens and tens of years without having to recork your wine.  So for that delicate bottle of wine which is going to be stored for some time, your only options is: "this type of storage condition".

Oct 22,1998: Christies sold a bottle of champagne for over $4000. The highest price paid for a bottle of  this type of champagne. The bottle was under water for over 81 years. The Heidsieck 1907 was in suspended animation and in the Baltic sea...that's is where they recovered it. David Elswood at Christies European  Wine Sales said, "I was lucky to taste it twice. It was spectacular."  (remember what we said about corks, humidity, and wine presevation.)

Label Protection

How we care for labels ...for the most expensive of wines...for that loose ultra rare bottle that is kept for investment and for resale ...your bottle is stored in a special section of the cave and the label on the bottle is protected via a plastic rap ... this insures no staining on this individual label and your wine is checked visually once a week.  This is performed on bottles that range from $1500 to $50,000  + per bottle. You must request this service and there is an added fee. Other than this service we do not guarantee labels.  If it's a case or a jeroboam, imperial, etc and long term storage 5 to 10 years... you can rest assured your investment will be ready for resale.  "Again" in most ware houses they are not able to achieve the proper humidity and must be in the range of 50%.  This is because they can not afford to run a humidifer 24 hours a day....but at the cave nature works for us not the utility company...So if you have a very rare bottle of wine and you want the best storage... check with us....you will find our prices are the lowest and the service the highest....Most if not all commerical warehouses can not achieve our storage conditions and we can match and achieve better label protection.

Level Guide

check the numbers on the left side of bottle for 1.....8

1. high fill: normal fill. Level of young wines. Exceptionally good in wines of 10 years old.
2. into neck: can be level fill. Perfectly good for any age of wine. Outstandingly good for a wine of 10 years in bottle or longer.
3. top-shoulder: normal level for any claret 15 years old or older.
4. upper-shoulder: slight natural reduction through easing of cork and evaporation through cork and capsule. Usually no problem. Acceptable for any wine over 20 years old. Exceptional for pre 1940 wines.
5. mid-shoulder: probably some weakening of the cork and some risk. Not abnormal for wines 30/40 years of age.
6. lower-mid shoulder: some risk.
7. low-shoulder: risky and usually only accepted for sale if wine label exceptionally rare or interesting.
8. below low-shoulder: not acceptable for sale unless a rare sort of bottle. Wine will usually be undrinkable.

BURGUNDY AND RHONE

Because of the slope of the shoulder it is impractical to describe levels as mid-shoulder etc. Wherever appropriate the level between cork and wine is measures and catalogued in centimeters.

The condition and drinkability of burgundy is less affected by ullage than its equivalent from Bordeaux. For example, a 5 to 7cm ullage in a 50 year old burgundy can be considered normal, indeed good for its age, 3.5 to 4cm excellent for age, even 7cm rarely a risk.

CAUTION

Though every effort is made to describe or measure the levels of older vintages, corks over 20 years old begin to lose their elasticity and levels can change between cataloguing and sale. Old corks have been known to fail during or after shipment.

We therefore repeat that there is always a risk of cork failure with old wines and due allowance must be made for this...But at the Wine Cave we always have the proper humidity...so your wine is safe...and we periodically check your corks in the lockers... and if you desire we will tell you if your bottle should be recorked before shipped...please just ask.

The level guide reproduced by kind permission of Christie's Wine department

Guide to Bottle Sizes

Now back to Information on Storage