OPENING AGED WINES

The older the wine, the more common it is to experience crumbling or disintegrating corks, regardless of proper storage and handling. To have success when opening old wines, we recommend the following techniques.

– Always store wines on their side as they are aging. This will keep the wine in contact with the cork, and decrease the likelihood the cork will dry out.

– Move the wine to an upright position for several hours prior to opening (preferably a minimum of a day before). This allows any sediment to settle at the bottom of the bottle.

– If you have a DURAND opener, this is a great opportunity to put it to use. First, screw the corkscrew all the way into the cork. Next, insert the 2-prong cork extractor into the bottle perpendicular to the corkscrew. Then, with a gentle twist upwards, the cork will dislodge.

– If you have an ah-so opener, insert the long prong first, then the shorter prong and start wiggling the ah so wine opener back and forth down the sides of the cork. Slowly twist the ah so and the wine cork out of the bottle, being careful not to add downward pressure which could push the cork into the wine bottle.

– In some cases a double-hinged wine opener can do the trick. We recommend twisting the corkscrew in, to the last curve of the worm and pulling the cork out very slowly.

– Clean the inside neck of the bottle with a napkin to remove any stuck-on sediment.

– Sometimes corks just won’t keep their integrity, no matter how careful you are. If the cork does break, you can simply push the cork in and decant before pouring it.

DECANTING WINES

Decanting serves a dual purpose. It aerates the wine which allows its flavors and aromas to become more expressive and the tannins to soften. Decanting wine also allows for separation between sediment or cork that may be present in the bottle. When decanting we recommend the following steps:

– Wash and dry your decanting vessel with a lint-free cloth

– Remove the cork, wipe the neck of the wine bottle to remove stuck-on sediment

– While holding a light (your phone flashlight will work) or candle under the neck of the bottle, slowly pour wine into the decanter, be sure not to tip the bottle up or down so as not to disturb the sediment at the bottom.

– Stop filling the decanter when the sediment or unwanted cork remains in the bottom of the bottle start to appear in the neck under the light

– Serve & enjoy!

We love to hear how Long Meadow Ranch wines are tasting. Post a photo on Instagram and tag @LONGMEADOWRANCH.