Wine racks` homeland is France, which wine cellars are considered to be the richest in quality and in variety of wines. First wine racks appeared in European market in 1976.

In XXI century, wine racks with deaf and transparent doors, which were intended for home and office, were made in many countries of Europe, America and Asia. Wine rack – it is a refrigerator for wine without freezer compartment. The smallest car wine refrigerators with 2 or 6 bottles have thermoelectric cooling and are powered by car storage battery. The overwhelming majority of wine racks have compression refrigeration with feeding from domestic network systems.

Stationary wine racks and bars for home and office have sizes from a small cube-side tables (44х47х50 cm) with useful capacity of 50 liters per 11 standard bottles, to wide double-wing cupboard (120х65х185 cm) for 500 bottles. More capacious wine cold stores (up to 3500 bottles) are intended for restaurants and trading organizations (analogues of commercial cold stores).

Most producers point the number of standard bottles of 0.7 liters like “Bordeaux” (narrow bottle with high sides), which are placed in a wine rack. Other firms point at useful capacity of cold store in liters, as usual fridges. Some companies point at useful capacity in liters and at the number of contained standard bottles of wine plus standard cans of beer. Single models, except wines and beer, provide storage of cigars and glasses.

Horizontal storage of bottles at 2 and 3 lines provides placing of saturation point of bottles at the minimum area. Some models have both horizontal and vertical lines. The vertical position of bottles is used for temporary storage and with a purpose of bringing wine to the consumption temperature.

The structure of shelves determines storing of different bottles in horizontal or vertical position. The shelves` design should provide easy and convenient access to bottles. In wine racks are used steel, plastic and wooden shelves, stationary and easy to nominate roller bearings.

The History of Champagne

According to historians, sparkling wine has appeared accidentally. Frigid climate has stopped fermentation, which with the beginning of spring has been resumed. There was a belief that wine feels spring and awakes, echoes to the nature. Wine was bottled, and as warm sets in, wine began fermented repeatedly. Carbon dioxide had no exit, and it was dissolving in wine. Many wine-makers of that time considered sparkling wine sad mistake, and only some of them tried to understand the secret and improved mode of production.

One of the founders of champagne method is considered Abbey house-keeper Oville Pierre Perignon, better known as Dom Perignon. Being in charge of storeroom with food and wine cellar, he had an opportunity to experiment and improve the quality of both sparkling and still wines.

The appearance of sparkling wines is dated from the XV century – already then they attracted an interest at the British, and later at the French nobility. The key customer was the Royal Household. Sparkling wines were very expensive in those days.

The main development of this industry was happened to the XVIII century, when had been appeared more durable and cheap glass bottles (until now more than half of the bottles were exploded). The process of corking was also improved. After a number of years, sparkling wines had spurted into popularity, and certainly a lot of holidays were accompanied by this drink.

I want to pay an attention, that champagne - it is only that sparkling wine that is produced in the northern French, in region Champagne. Only those climate and limestone soils create ideal conditions for appearance of this noble, aristocratic, incomparable wine.

The Making of Champagne

Champagne is prepared with a help of traditional or champagne method by means of after fermentation. It is happen in the following way. In order to achieve unique taste, the grapes are gathered, went under the press and then took place wine mixing. Both wines of different ages and wines from one harvest could be mixed. Next, wine is bottled and added so-called triage liqueur, which contains dissolved cane-sugar and yeasts. Because of this, wine starts fermenting in a bottle, carbonic acid dissolved in wine and thereby producing precious bubbles.

When fermentation is over, bottles are placed in special reading-desk for ripening. The longer is ripening the delicate flavor will be. During ripening process bottles are slightly turned on its axis and gradually bowed bottleneck down. The sediment gathered on the bottom and by uncork it rush out. After the sediment removal, they add to the wine so-called dosage-liqueur, which contains dissolved sugar. Depending on the amount of sugar appeared champagne of different sweet degree.

Champagne serving

Some people believe that ideal serving temperature for sparkling wine is 5-7 degrees. In fact, this temperature is suitable only for sparkling wines of low quality: it will hide some weaknesses of wine. For sparkling wines of good quality the temperature should be 9-10 degrees. Especially outstanding sparkling wines can be served at the temperature to 15 degrees. It is important to remember, that the colder the wine is, the more shortcomings can be hidden. Wine in the glass is heated very quickly, so the wine should be slightly colder than ideal temperature.

By opening the bottle, cut foil, which closes the cork, (some producers make perforation or supply capsule with a special tape). Try not leaving cuttings or wire-edges, which can be contiguous with a wine. Take the metal bridle away and, keeping cork with one hand, rotate slightly bowed bottle with another. The cork should not jump with a plop, but comes out with a light hissing. Loud plop is considered unaesthetic and sharply broken gas will spoil champagne’s taste. The most appropriate glasses are considered to be «Flute», narrow, elongated, from clear glass. These glasses will help fully enjoy the wonderful game of bubbles. For inexpensive wine can be used straight glasses. For more elegant champagne are good rounded glasses. Sweet champagne served in saucer-shaped glasses. And after all a little secret: if you want to see prolonged bubbles` game, slightly scratch the glass’s interior.

If wine is not very old, and its presumptive working life does not exceed one and a half year, admissible temperature is 16-18°С. By such temperature wine will ripen more quickly, but will not improved as at 11-12 ° C. On the other hand, at a temperature below 8-9 ° C wine does not evolve.

If wine-lovers or restaurateurs do not have cellar, they can buy special cooler racks. First, wine racks are convenient because they can be put anywhere, secondly, they are equipped with arrangements for temperature and humidity control.

The ideal wine storage conditions:

• level position (the cork should be completely washed with a wine);
• darkness. The light, especially sun and neon – are bitterest enemies of wine.
• clean, good ventilated room (cellar); wine rack
• absolute rest and silence; vibration is abnormally dangerous for wine
• constant temperature 11-12°С (10-14 ° C is acceptable). High temperature (above 20°С) or too low temperature, as well as its constant variations are not desirable.
• constant humidity 75-80 % (not below 70). By too low humidity corks can get too dry; too high humidity is dangerous for labels. There is also a risk of mould on corks.
• no smells in the repository (especially smells of kerosene, fuel oil, etc.). Corks do not provide full impermeability – otherwise wine in a bottle can not be improved.

«Wine with cork» - what does it mean in reality? Is wine spoilt if by opening cork has crumbled and pieces fall into bottle?

As a matter of fact some bits will not spoil the wine: they can be carefully taken out or be filtered through the strainer. Cork’s smack will appear if cork sits in a bottleneck – it caused by mold fungi. For beginners: if some of your guests make a wry face because of cork’s smell, ask him for a wineglass and inhale wine aroma. If you share guest’s opinion, dilute wine (1/3) with water (2/3), then «crock’s mistake» can be easily found out – you will feel strange smell immediately.

At the bottom of bottle or wineglass appear white crystals or in a good old wine you note dark sediment.

Neither is considered as wine mistake. Crystals say us about tartar. It is harmless and has no influence upon wine flavor. Quite often old red wines have sediment. It imparts bitter relish, therefore it is necessary to decant wine into carafe with a help of little sieve. In any case it is not a mistake: light carbonic acids in young white wines or brown tint in old red. There should not be any objections concerning such wine.

Wine smacks of glue, acetone or vinegar, or it simply shows its capricious character.

The smell of glue and acetone are usually related to fleeting acid, which can appear at any wine – of course in a little quantity. The sign of acid is barely perceptible smell of vinegar. Not all wine connoisseurs considered this smell unpleasant, some of them really like it. Peculiar aromas, which are typical for some sorts of wine, for example for overseas tasteless Sauvignon blanc, are not considered wine mistake.

At high temperature even very good wine can smell of ethyl alcohol, and vice versa, at low temperature a lot of flavors` nuances will stay undisclosed.

It’s not of necessity to have a thermometer at home. How can you understand if serving temperature is right: taste it, if wine seems to you rough, probably the temperature is too high. If at first you feel neither taste no aroma, then you have overdone with a cooling. In that case it will be quite enough for some minutes keep wineglass in hands for warming.

The best of all would be cool wine in buckets with an ice. Take a bucket with some water, add there salt, and then ice. It is not advisable to cool wine in freezing chamber.

Approximate wine serving temperature:

• old red wines – between 17 °С and 20 °С.
• light red wines – between 12 °С and 17 °С
• sweet red wines – between 12 °С and 14 °С
• Beaujolais nouveau (red light wine that is released for sale on the third Thursday of November) – from 12 °С to 14 °С
• white dry, fortified wine – from 8 °С to 10 °С
• white immature wines, rose - from 6 °С to 8 °С
• champagne, sparkling wine - from 4 °С to 6 °С
• Millesime Champagne (wine with a year of harvest) – from 8 °С to 10 °С
• Absolutely dry wines and simple sparkling wines - from 4 °С to 6 °С

Greeks have even some variants - to every taste. According one of them, Dionysus taught Icarius, inhabitant of Attica, to grow grapes and prepare of it wonder-working drink. According to another variant, Orispheus`s dog had pupped with wine bush. Orispheus immediately planted this bush and since then grew grapes. The next legend has it that grapes was found by a sheep, who constantly run away from the flock and returned to sheep-cote the latest. Shepherd Stafilos, observed upon the fugitive and have found that she ate fruits of unknown plants. He gathered these berries and took them to his master Oynos. And this, on his turn, noted that squeezed juice from these berries after some time became a new taste and hoping down qualities.

The Chinese claim that the first wine is originally from The Heavenly Empire. For their proof they refer to myths about God named Yu the Great, who encouraged wine-making.

One of the ancient works of world literature is Sumerian epos “Epic of Gilgamesh”. Its main protagonist lived at the end of XXVII. B. C. During one of his traveling Gilgamesh found subterranean vineyard. It is not inconceivable that wine, which was derived from the gathered fruits, was the first on the Earth.

Persian legend about the origin of wine is linked with the name of the king Jamsheed. Basques` legends talk about the hero named Ano, who brought them vine by boat.

In this peculiar historical race the Georgians are also not backward. They cite data of archaeologists, which were found on the Georgia territory and survived from ancient time. These are grape seeds and pieces of crocks for wine storing.

The Armenians argue their first place with Noah’s site near Ararat mountain.

It is fair to say, that representatives of France, for today the most famous winemaking country, do not take part in this „competition“. Parheps, Gauls` descendants are lacking of historic facts.

However that may be, wine exists on Earth more than 5 thousand years. It exerted sometimes very noticeable impact upon the development of the civilization: the wars were broke out because of wine, were born great works of art … Wine treats a lot of diseases, but also can destroy a person. Wine – is pleasure and merriment, but it is also - grief and vice. Wine can generously reward and severely punish.

So, in wine there is the truth, and all truth will come for your eyes on our pages. Even if virtual network Internet opens up little by little ability of smell and taste transmitting, no matter: we are sure that because of your imagination, which is confirmed with an interest and love in the most beautiful drink, you will be able to feel inimitable race of wine in full measure.

It is worth to dig in shelves of my Blog. Red and white, rose and the most delicate blended wines. Our virtual wine-cellar presents exquisite sorts of French and German wines. There are also Spanish, Portuguese, Austrian, Italian and Greek… Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Sherry, Wermut, Tokay and Rhine, Malaga and Madeira, and a lot of others best sorts of wine.