Rhone
We have gathered together round a lovely roaring fire to taste and discuss Rhône wines. Stephane and Bernadette are in excellent form after selecting some fine wines for laying down after a wine tasting earlier in the week. Madame Bouquet and Mrs Vine are wearing similar dresses in a deep red with a wine glass cut, most appealing.
The Rhône valley produces mainly red wines, which usually have to be laid down for a long time to bring out all the subtleties. Stephane stepped in to explain about caring for your wine. If you have a cellar (cave) this is an ideal place to lay down wine, as wine likes to be kept in a cool dark place. It is worth remembering that wine likes a steady temperature.
It does not have to be cool. Obviously freezing and very high temperatures are not what are wanted. If you have no cellar, you can either dig one, a back number of a DIY magazine will show you how or you can also build one above ground in a spare cool corner that you may have. A brick floor with brick bins is ideal but you can now buy racks to put your wine on. You will need to have a cellar book to record the name of the wine, vintage, price etc.