Novice question re: storing wine

Hope you experts don't mind my completely novice question, but I'm counting on your expertise!

I'm getting married in a year and we are planning on providing our own alcohol for the reception because my brother works in the alcohol industry and gets a nice discount. We already bought the liquor, since that will keep easily, but we weren't going to buy the wine or beer until much closer to the wedding. However, my brother just put in his two weeks' notice, so this is my last chance to buy wine at a very good price. My only reservation is that we won't be opening the bottles for a whole year, so I want to make sure we store it correctly.

Now I know most wines can be stored and aged, but I am definitely not an expert when it comes to wine, and I know there are some wines these days that aren't meant to be aged, but consumed rather soon. Does 1 year still count as "soon"?

We're going to keep the bottles in the wine boxes they come shipped in, and store the boxes on their sides in a cool, dark place (my parents' basement, no risk of water seeping in or anything). They are going to be common wines that we drink regularly, like Red Bicyclette or Yellow Tail, nothing super fancy. Do you think we'll be OK?

What about champagne? Can I store that in a similar fashion (it will be not-at-all fancy champagne, just enough for a toast; we're really focusing on the wine, liquor, and microbrews) or does the carbonation somehow change things?

The beer we're just going to have to get at market price right before the wedding, because there's no way I'm going to store that!

Thank you so much!!!

I think your wine should be fine stored that way. There are a few things that degrade wine in storage. Wine as you know should be kept cool but also a stable temperature. Light will also degrade wine so storing in the dark is good. The last thing that you might be concerned with is vibration try to store in a place that doesn't have a lot of vibration. I think the champagne should be fine too.

Hi Holly and welcome to the friendliest wine place I know of. Quick answer is what Duane said. The other answers are to treat yourself to some good, real Champagne at your wedding and, while time is short, buy some really good high end wines to set aside for yourselves to have on special occasions after the wedding, such as anniversaries, etc.

I would be concerned if a boiler or other heat source causes extreme temperature fluctuation in the basement.

On the second issue, if it's ok for still wine, it should be fine for sparkling wine.

Thanks so much for all the input! I especially like the suggestion to buy nice stuff to save for ourselves down the line. I will say that I do not enjoy how seemingly normal decisions become so high-stress when they are in the context of wedding planning. Argh.

Elope, tell the stress to take a hike, and blow the savings on a nice honeymoon and good wine for the two of you, and send the folks back home a postcard from the beach. They'll get over it.

Elope, tell the stress to take a hike

That's what I always do.

Hi Holly, and welcome! This is a great place to discuss and learn about all things food and wine (and spirits and beer and life in general). About your choice on beer: it can successfully be stored for a year or more but it all depends on the kind of beer you purchase. The "national" brands like Bud, Coors, Miller will not age well at all because they don't have a sufficient amount of hops and/or alcohol in them. If you like to drink beer such as Sierra Nevada, Anchor, Rogue, Dogfish Head, or other similar hoppy, high-alcohol beers then they will age gracefully when stored under the same conditions as your wine.

I have held on to several of the aforementioned beers (including some of my homebrews) for just over a year with great effects. So in short, if you like to drink Bud, Coors, or Miller brand beers then you will be better off buying them the day of the wedding. If you like to drink the micro-brew style beers just look for something with a lot of hops and a higher-than-average alcohol content and you should be fine aging them.

Also, be sure to do a search for the Chili thread and read up on post #2.

rwj

If you like to drink beer such as Sierra Nevada, Anchor, Rogue, Dogfish Head, or other similar hoppy, high-alcohol beers then they will age gracefully when stored under the same conditions as your wine.

Thread drift (apologies Holly), but Robert, how would you characterize the change that high-alcohol beers experience when they age? I recently sampled the 2007 Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra which I found very well-balanced and nicely bound, but, of course, quite hot at 17% ABV. I was told it could easily age for another 20 years, but I wondered if the alcoholic warmth on the palate recedes and integrates with time or if that is a constant. Of course, this is not a hoppy example, but still . . .

Keith, I haven't had the Raison D'Extra 2007 in a while but allow me to draw a similar comparison. If you have followed beer for a while you may remember that Sam Adams did a triple bock many years ago (about 13 years ago, IIRC). On first taste it was really hot and it stayed that way for about 2 years. I tasted it about 7 or so years after my first purchase and it had mellowed quite a bit, sort of like a port will mellow over long periods of time.

The triple bock was still strong but the sweetness of the malt came to the front more and I recall a definite maple syrup taste along with coffee and chocolate. It really did age gracefully.

So, in answer to your question I think, yes, the alcohol will mellow after a couple of years. Then you will start to get other flavors showing up from the barley, hops, and raisins.

rwj

Precisely the information I was looking for--thank you, Robert.