Monday, March 29, 2010

Celebrations with bubbly-packaging!

We had a gathering at our partners' home in Moultrie, GA and enjoyed some yummy Veuve Clicquot champagne. We purchased it a few months ago and had it in the refrigerator at work just waiting to celebrate something. Well, an out of town 'break' was just the ticket and we took the wine with us! It was wrapped in a lovely orange neoprene 'huggy' that kept it nice and chilly for a few hours. We popped it in the fridge upon arrival but it was good to know that it remained cold for most of the voyage. Several producers have released their wines in unique packaging designed to keep the wine cool. I know Moet recently had a their base champagne released in a metal canister that served the same purpose. Why all the fuss? That can be followed up with this question: What hurts wine greatly? Temperatures! I've noted how leaving a wine in a hot car can pretty much ruin it (unless you like 'hot' wine like hot tea--or vinegar if you leave it in there longer!). With that being said, if your wine temperature rises or lowers over time, it should be okay (unless as noted you reach extremes, either too cold or too hot). A nice wine cellar is great, but as long as your wine is in a 'cool' dark place it should be fine. That lovely rack over your fridge? Not the best place, FYI. That rack in your dining room that receives full sun for most of the day? Ditto. If you don't have much space, take a wine case, turn it on its' side and leave it in a closet. Voila! A wine-cellar for 'our times'.

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