Cold, sweet and long-term?

November 19, 2005 8:25 PM

Storing saké and white wines...

I bought a few bottles of saké on a trip outside the country about four months ago and its been in my fridge, sealed, since. I also have about six bottles of white wine in the fridge. Is this okay or will this affect the quality of the wine over time — say, more than 12-36 months? I don't yet have the resources for a wine cellar or specialized storage container for these bottles — any advice is appreciated.

posted by Rothko to food & drink (4 answers total)

The wine will be fine at the moment but for long term storage you should keep wine in an area that is dark, cool, free from vibrations and sudden temperature changes.

A fridge is ok for short-term cellaring but the vibrations and low humidity could damage the effectiveness of the cork in the long-term.

Without a wine cellar the best place is usually in the corner of a dark closet or wardrobe where the temperature is likely to be more consistent. The worst place is in the kitchen.
posted by xoe26 at 8:48 PM on November 19, 2005

The temperature in your fridge, no matter how nice it is, is pretty unstable. Everytime you open it, the temperature shifts dramatically for a short time. The temperature of the wine probably doesn't change more than a degree or two but even Coke tastes bad after one or two big temperature shifts.

If I were looking for temperature stability, I would put them against an internal wall in a closet on the north side of the house.
posted by 517 at 9:38 PM on November 19, 2005

"Premium sake should be stored carefully. The best method is refrigeration, but cool temperatures (10C to 15C, or 50F to 60F) are acceptable. Avoid direct strong light. Do this and the sake will keep its original flavor for six months or so." [source]

Regarding white wines -- very few white wines need time to mature. White wines are affected far more by temperature problems than red wines. Very few whites, mostly dessert wines -- Sauternes or Eiswein -- are suited for aging.

In any event, as xoe26 suggests, store the whites in a dry, dark and fairly consistent temperature.
posted by ericb at 9:56 PM on November 19, 2005

Traditionally Sake is supposed to be drunk fresh, not aged. Well at least not aged in the same way wine is, within the last 12 months is best. So don't keep it too long before enjoying it.

It's not technically a wine so I don't see why it gets treated as one.
posted by alexst at 4:41 AM on November 20, 2005