Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long should I store my wine?

A: This schedule only provides a rule of thumb for aging, counting from the vintage date of the wine. Remember, if properly stored, some wines may keep longer. If you purchase wine with the intent of cellaring it, be sure to taste it periodically to see if it is improving to your satisfaction... wine is a living, changing product in the bottle. For information on a specific Windsor wine, contact your Wine Consultant.

One-Two Years Two-Three Years Three-Four Years Four-Six Years

Chenin Blanc Fume Blanc Blanc de Noir Champagne Cabernet Sauvignon

French Colombard Gewürztraminer Brut Champagne Cream Sherry

Grenache Rose Johannisberg Riesling Late Harvest Muscat Canelli Meritage

Extra Dry Champagne Semillon Chardonnay Merlot

Rose du Soliel Trousseau Gris Pinot Noir Petite Sirah

White Zinfandel Carignane Port

Syrah

Zinfandel

Q: Where's the best place to store my wines?

A: You don't have to have a fancy wine cellar to keep your wines in great form -- a closet, an extra cabinet, a garage or a basement corner can work just fine for wine storage. Keep your wines away from extremes of temperature -- uninsulated garages, basement water heaters, furnaces and window sun exposure are bad news for wines! Most wines can survive a few hours of mistreatment from time to time, but they survive best at a constant 55-60 degrees.

Avoid the fancy wine rack in the hall or dining room, unless contents are protected from heat, commotion and inquisitive hands. The longer wines are held in this way, the greater there danger of oxidation.

Chill wines only when you are ready to serve them. Prolonged refrigeration has a way of destroying the subtleties of flavor and bouquet. If you don't finish a bottle at one sitting, you can prevent spoilage by refrigeration, but the wine will lose character after a day.

A dry, cool basement is the very best place to store wine. You can also purchase custom-fitted wine vaults and finished storage cabinets with climate controls, if your budget permits!

Q: How many servings can I get from one bottle of wine? I'm having a party and I don't know how much wine to order.

A: A standard wine bottle holds 750-ml. of wine (25.4 oz.), so here's our calculation based on four 6-ounce servings per bottle:

1 case = 48 servings

2 cases = 96 servings

3 cases = 144 servings

4 cases = 192 servings

5 cases = 240 servings

6 cases = 288 servings

7 cases = 336 servings

8 cases = 384 servings

Champagne has to be calculated slightly differently; here's our chart based on six 4-ounce servings per bottle:

1 case = 72 servings
2 cases = 144 servings
3 cases = 216 servings
4 cases = 288 servings
5 cases = 360 servings
6 cases = 432 servings
7 cases = 504 servings

Q: What do the different classifications mean on Champagne labels? Like Brut, for example?

A: The following label language is standard in the industry, although it's really confusing. For example, if you purchase a champagne labeled Extra Dry, the wine in the bottle will be not quite dry, but rather fruity and soft. Here's the classification chart, from driest to sweetest:

Wine Label Classification Residual Sugar %

Natural the driest

Brut less than 2% (very dry)

Extra Dry or Extra Sec 1.5% - 2.5% (semi-dry)

Sec 2% - 4% (slightly sweet)

Demi Sec 4% - 6% (sweet)

Doux more than 5% (very sweet)

Windsor's Blanc de Noir and Brut Champagne fall into the Brut, or very dry, category.

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