Wine storage in 5ltr plastic water bottles

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Plastic is slightly porous, so I wouldn't keep wine in it long-term.
 
I've stored wine for a year or two in 5lt plastic bottles with no problems at all.
 
Thanks

Just needed it as a temp measure while I redistribute some I've made.



Ok ok , while I drink the earlier ones



There I said it



Scaff
 
I've stored wine for a year or two in 5lt plastic bottles with no problems at all.

I always use plastic bottles but do not age my wine long and have read many posts in the forum saying plastic for short term glass for long, i would not risk my wine by ageing it in plastic for long periods, read the study below and make your own mind up. :thumb:



The study found that in the short-term, wine stored in glass and plastic tasted similar, but the wine stored in the plastic bottles started to deteriorate after about eight months and is best consumed within 12 months of bottling.

The polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles are permeable to air, which oxidises the wine. Wine bottlers can limit the amount of oxygen that enters the bottle with an oxygen scavenger - sachets containing material including fine iron powder covered with sea salt - but these are effective for only about 12 months.

"Oxygen permeates the wine and it becomes oxidised," Portavin managing director Ian Matthews said
Homemade wine is often bottled in a "reductive" state (the opposite of oxidised) in which case there may be short term benefit from using plastic bottles, but generally if you want to age your wine don't use plastic bottles.
 
I always wonder about 'reports ' like this one's relevance to country wines rather than grape based wine. Oxygen will always find a way in, this is a scientific fact! Or do corks create a vacuum that I'm unaware of? I feel the fault lies more in the grape and it's handling rather than 'extra' oxygen entering. And as for oxygen scavengers what they remove is put straight back in again, it's called equilibrium im afraid! Even aerating a must or wort only drives off carbon dioxide it doesn't add oxygen.
 
I only use plastic bottles but i don't store my wine for long periods, the general opinion on this (its been discussed many times) is plastic for short term storage and glass for long, this may be the home brewers equivalent of an old wives tale but i know which i would use if i was going to age my wine for long periods.
 

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