Extending the life of wines in Thailand
Wine is extremely susceptible to extremes of heat and light. The advice you will read in most wine books will say "we recommend storing them in a dark, cool place until ready to serve". You may think that you have a section of the house that seems cool with a gentle breeze and that is away from direct sunlight but do check if there are variations of temperature throughout the day and night. If there are variations what you thought might be a safe storage area for your wines may in fact be putting them at risk. With our tropical climate the only place in a house in Thailand that comes close to being safe to store your wines is the refrigerator.
The kitchen refrigerator in your home is probably set too cold for most wine, but more importantly, the temperature fluctuates every time it is opened. If wines are subject to constant variations of temperature, this can lead to a chemical reaction in the wines that spoil the taste. They are also as subject to some vibration from the motor chilling it, however, there comes a time when we have to make do the best we can with what we have.
For those who have valuable wines you may like to consider the option of a wine fridge, similar in application to a domestic fridge except it also controls humidity which avoids the labels getting soggy and the worst case scenario of the labels falling off. Some larger wine fridges have the added benefit of two temperature settings, one for reds (15-19? C) and whites (8-14? C). Those temperatures are optimum; a few + or - degrees would not damage the wines so long as the temperature is constant.
A wine fridge will also control the moisture at between 50 to 70 percent humidity. With the storage of wine, humidity is just as important as temperature. If it is too low, the corks dry out and there is the risk of air getting into the bottle, if it is too high mold will grow.
Bottles with a cork closure need to be stored lying down in the fridge so that the wine is in contact with the cork to maintain an airtight closure. With a screw cap closure it makes no difference if they are stored standing up or lying down.
Red wines are often served too cold in Thailand; if when its poured there is condensation on the side of the glass it is too cold, the flavours will be tight and compressed. Ideally, take the bottle you are intending to drink out of the refrigerator and let it stand making sure it is out of direct sunlight to warm up to the temperature where its flavours and complexities can best be appreciated.
An opened bottle of red or white wine will keep in the refrigerator for 3 - 5 days. If you have thrown the cork away, an airtight closure can be made by placing some plastic film over the opening, stretching it tight around the neck of the bottle and securing with an elastic band.
Opening a Bottle of Wine
For as long as wine bottles are going to be sealed by a cork, natural or synthetic the essential tool is a good corkscrew. There is a wide variety of bottle openers but my preference is the waiter's friend.
A sommelier knife or waiter's friend is a corkscrew in a folding body similar to a pocket knife. An arm extends to brace against the lip of the bottle for leverage when removing the cork. Some sommelier knives have two steps on the lever and often also a bottle opener. A small hinged knife blade is housed in the handle end for removing the foil wrapping the neck of several wine bottles. This is the quickest tool to open a bottle of wine.
There are three simple steps to opening a bottle of wine:
1. Cut around the top of the bottle to remove enough of the metal foil so that there will be no metal touching the wine when you pour it.
2. Hold your wine opener straight and twist the corkscrew through the cork clockwise, taking care not to go all the way through the cork.
3. Pull the cork out gently, attaching the bottle opener lever to the edge of the bottle to help in the process. The double hinged waiter's friend has two variations of leverage to make sure the cork comes cleanly out of the bottle.
Having pulled the cork out of the bottle it will tell us about the condition of the wine; this is particularly evident with red wines. The practice of sniffing the cork may look like outrageous snobbism but if the cork smells of wine it has done its job. The round surface that has been in contact with the wine should be stained and with older wines there could be a crystal deposit, however, if the shaft of the cork is clean then it is perfect. However, if the wine has stained this part then there is the risk that air has got into the bottle and it could be corked.
Some of the smarter restaurants in town put a wine pourer into the neck of the bottle for wines they pour by the glass. These useful gadgets have been cleverly designed to prevent spills and dribbles onto tables and linens. Double lip catches every drop and returns it to the bottle, providing the perfect pour.
To keep the opened bottle of white wine chilled while drinking it, fill an ice bucket in the ratio of 1 measure of ice to two measures of water and place the bottle in it.
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