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Storing Alsace wines: our expert advice
The golden rules for storing your wines in the best conditions
Even the best wines can lose quality if they are not stored correctly. To ensure optimal storage of your Alsace Bestheim wines, choose a cool place, away from light, with controlled humidity. The ideal is a constant temperature of around 12°C and a humidity level of between 70 and 80%, to preserve the corks.
Wine likes peace and quiet. Avoid vibrations, strong smells and temperature variations, which can affect its development.
Should bottles be stored upright or lying down?
The position depends on the cork. For bottles sealed with cork, like the majority of our still wines and Crémants d'Alsace, it is advisable to store them lying down: this prevents the cork from drying out and letting air through. Screw caps or crown caps, which are found on some Crémants to be enjoyed young, can be stored upright without risk.
How long should you keep wine or Crémant d'Alsace?
Each wine has its own ageing potential. Our Crémants d'Alsace are best enjoyed within 2 to 4 years of purchase, to fully enjoy their freshness and fine bubbles. The Grands Crus " " can improve for 5 to 10 years, depending on the vintage. For each cuvée, feel free to consult our recommended ageing times.
What to do once the bottle has been opened?
An open bottle is not necessarily a lost cause. To preserve an opened bottle of wine, seal it with a vacuum stopper and place it in the refrigerator: it will keep for between 2 and 5 days, depending on the type of wine.
For Crémants, use a special sparkling wine stopper to maintain the pressure: you will gain 1 to 2 days of freshness.
To be kept... and savoured later: our selection of wines for laying down
Tasting: white wines, red wines, and Crémants d’Alsace
Tasting Crémant d’Alsace: tips and advice
Questions you may have
Have you just bought one or more fine bottles that you want to save for a special occasion? Here are a few tips for storing your wines perfectly.
To ensure your wines are stored properly, it is advisable to keep them in a wine cellar that meets several criteria:
1. A constant temperature of around 12°C.
2. Moderate humidity, which is essential for the proper aging of wine.
3. A dark cellar to avoid the "light taste" that dilutes the wine's aromas.
To find out more, listen to Emmanuel Vergely's explanations in the Extra-Brut episode "How to store your wines."
When planning a meal, we often wonder about the order in which wines should be served at the table. When is the best time to taste a particular wine? There are a few basic guidelines, but the most important thing is to ensure that the tasting is consistent and enjoyable.
To avoid making mistakes, we recommend following these five rules:
- Organize the wine tasting by color: start with sparkling wines (such as Crémant d'Alsace or Champagne), white and/or rosé wines, then red wines
- Start with the lightest wines before moving on to the more powerful ones.
- Taste dry wines before sweet wines.
- From simpler wines to more complex wines.
- Young wines before older wines.
To find out more, read our article on the subject.
