The study concluded that nine of 10 samples stored in good conditions were judged to be good by the panelists. Before investing, do a temperature assessment. An outdoor thermometer that tracks high and low temperatures is made for the job. Stick it in the most likely location and record the temperatures for a week, then factor in summer extremes. Note that air conditioning doesn t reach closed areas.
Constant temperature is important, according to the study.
The result of a too-warm cellar is that the wines age more quickly. Too hot, and the wine tends to be stewed. Assess the darkness factor. Dark is better, much better, than light. So much so that four out of five bottles exposed to light will probably sustain damage.