With rosé wine, the question of storage does not arise much, as the time between purchase and tasting is so short. However, keeping a bottle of rosé in optimal conditions ensures that its qualities are not altered, and this is all the more true for rosé wines for ageing.
CAN ROSÉ WINE BE STORED?
There are many prejudices about rosé wine. Among them is its conservation. Many people think that such a wine must be consumed within the year. If this was true a few decades ago, things have changed. Today, rosé wine for ageing exists. And as with all wines (red or white), some rosés can be kept, others cannot. The length of time it can be kept depends on the Vintage, the geographical origin, the grape variety, etc.
As a general rule, rosé wines made by bleeding or maceration are better suited to ageing, and can be consumed after 2 to 5 years of cellaring.
To know if a rosé wine can be kept or not, the mention "grand cru" or "grand wine" on the label is not enough. It will be necessary to take into account all the characteristics of the rosé wine, and in particular its power of structure, and the balance between acidity and tannins.
ROSÉ WINE: LIVELY AND FRAGILE
Many rosé wine lovers take care of their bottles like a newborn baby. Without going to extremes, rosé wine needs attention and must be stored with care. Wine is a very fragile product, sensitive to its environment, so care must be taken to provide it with the best storage conditions. To do this, it is recommended to install it in a dark room, far from any agitation (vibrations, shocks...). The bottle of rosé should then be laid down so that the cork is always moist.
Finally, and this is surely the most important point, it is important to ensure that rosé wine is not subject to temperature variations. For this reason, a cellar is the best place to store your rosé wine, as the temperature is stable in both winter and summer.
A COSY LITTLE NEST FOR STORING ROSÉ WINE
While temperature variations and darkness are the two most important criteria, there are others that will influence the quality of the rosé wine.
- Temperature: for optimal storage, rose wine should be kept in a room with an average temperature of 12°C.
- The humidity level: essential to ensure the good condition of the cork stopper, the humidity will prevent it from retracting, and then let through all the bacteria that could attack the wine. A humidity level of 80% is ideal.
- Ventilation: a storage area with good ventilation allows the bottles to "breathe". It is therefore sufficient to remove all the bottles of rosé from their packaging and boxs, and to store them on a stable surface, or in a wooden crate.
- The environment: wine, even in its bottle, is very sensitive to surrounding odours. It is therefore strongly advised against storing rosé wine near chemicals or paint.
Although it is not easy to gather all the criteria for perfect rosé wine conservation, getting closer to them will allow you to preserve all the qualities of the rosé wine. You will find at Château de Berne rosé wines preserved in the best conditions.
