In a recent study by Dr Fulvio Mattivi of the Edmund Mach Foundation in Trentino it was proved that wine stored under the stairs at home ages four times as quickly as wine stored in a proper cellar (like Private Reserves).
The study showed that even moderate variations in temperature altered the quality. The research used 400 bottles of Tuscan wine half was stored at 15c to 17c the other half stored in domestic conditions where temperature varied between 20c and27c.
The Private Reserves cellars at Corsham
After two years the wines had aged more quickly, had fewer anti-oxidants, less pigmentation and weaker flavours than those that had been cellared correctly.
For more information on Private Reserves click here.
(With thanks to Hannah Devlin Science Editor of The Times.)