Disturbing Wine: How Much?

Disturbing bottles of fine wine has always been a concern for collectors. They are often told by experts to give each bottle a quarter turn on a prescribed schedule. This process is called remuage. The purpose of this is to keep the cork wet so that the bottle remains sealed and no oxygen creeps into the wine. Though oxygen is a good thing when decanting, too much oxygen can age a wine quickly. Harmful bacteria that can spoil the wine can also slip into the bottle along with the oxygen. Careful turning of each bottle, it has been noted, will keep the corks wet and the wine protected. However, if your cellar conditions have adequate humidity, keeping the cork moist and plumped across the bottle will not require frequent turning.

Moreover, there is concern that every time the bottle is moved, any sediment in the wine will be disturbed and will make it necessary to decant the wine when it is ready to be poured. And, of course, decanting will force large amounts of oxygen into the wine, aging it rapidly, making it imperative to drink the wine as soon after opening as possible. Though some wines benefit from decanting for further aging and mellowing, not all wines do.

The issue of disturbing wine, then, becomes more complex when a wine connoisseur moves a collection or has wine shipped to his or her cellar. Excessive shaking during transport is known as “bottle shock,” “bottle sickness” or “travel shock.”