Can I Rebottle wine?

Yes, you can re-bottle wine, even at this late date, but you will need to be concerned with keeping air exposure to a minimum. Excessive air can cause your wine to oxidize. Oxidation will cause the wine to become darker and more brown in color.

How do you store Cab Sav?

Cabernet Sauvignon should be stored around 55° F, in 70\% humidity, under steady conditions, in darkness, with the bottle lying flat with labels facing up. Once opened, Cabernet will last up to 7 days if a quality wine stopper is used and you keep the bottle upright in your kitchen refrigerator.

What happens when Cabernet Sauvignon blend with Merlot?

Blending gives winemakers flexibility, which is terrific because vintages can vary. One year, say, the Cabernet Sauvignon might be weak but the Merlot turns out strong, so blending can help create a more consistent style from year to year.

Can you mix Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon?

Cabernet Sauvignon (ka-ber-nay SOH-vin-yohn) and Merlot (mer-LOW) form one of the great partnerships in wine. What makes this blend so good is the way these two classic grape varieties complement each other to produce a wine that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Can I decant wine into smaller bottles?

If you are not going to finish the bottle you are opening, transferring the extra to small wine bottles can make a lot of sense. By pouring the wine out of the original bottle, you have functionally decanted away any sediment.

Does Cabernet Sauvignon need to be refrigerated after opening?

Cold temperatures significantly delay oxidation reactions, but the open wine bottles will still be changing in your refrigerator. Just as you store open white wine in the refrigerator, you should refrigerate red wine after opening.

Should Cabernet Sauvignon be refrigerated after opening?

Fuller-bodied, tannic wines like Bordeaux and Napa Cabernet Sauvignon taste better warmer, so keep them to 45 minutes in the fridge. Red wine that’s too cold tastes dull, but when too warm, it’s flabby and alcoholic. Like Goldilocks, somewhere in between is just right.

Which is stronger cabernet or Merlot?

Cabernet Sauvignon is very rich and robust, while Merlot is a bit more delicate, and serves up a slightly fruitier flavor. And while both wines are considered “dry”, Merlot tends to be balanced towards a slightly sweeter flavor profile, making it easier to drink. This is reflected in how these wines are blended.

Why is Merlot considered bad?

There’s nothing inherently bad about Merlot. When it’s mass-produced, it can create a very forgettable wine, and a few mass-producers have done some work to ruin the reputation of an otherwise very noble grape. What’s more, Merlot is a perfect grape for blending.

What does Merlot add to a blend?

Merlot adds softness and sweet fruit flavors to Bordeaux blends to offset the rough tannins and acidity of Cabernet Sauvignon – the second most planted variety in the area.

How do you blend red wine?

Mix 60 ml of Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 ml of Merlot, and 10 ml of Cabernet Franc in a larger receptacle. Swirl the mix around for a bit before pouring it into a glass. If you’d prefer a “right bank” Bordeaux, do the same thing, but use 60 ml Merlot and 30 ml Cab Sauvignon.

What can you do with empty wine bottles?

You can also use empty bottles in the kitchen. Perhaps with an attached cork or pour spout. Fill it with oil or vinegar. They will be able to handle a decent amount of these condiments and will look nice on your table too.

How do you save Leftover red wine?

When you have a wine you want to save, transfer the leftover wine from your regular size bottle into the empty half bottle, and then close the bottle with a cork or even saran wrap — you just want to make sure there is a seal. Next, place the bottle in the fridge (more on why you should do that below).

How do you stabilize wine before bottling?

Let the wine sit undisturbed for a few weeks and the bentonite will fall to the bottom along with the protein that causes haze. Rack the clean wine off and toss out the sediment. At the other end of the spectrum, cold stabilization refers to chilling the wine to precipitate excess tartaric acid (the main grape acid) before bottling.

Is it better to bottle wine at home or in a winery?

While the methods and equipment for bottling at home may be more primitive than those used at state-of-the-art commercial wineries, there is no reason that the results can’t be as good — or better. After all, it is your wine, so it deserves to be treated carefully.