RETOS QUE DEBE AFRONTAR EL MUNICIPIO DE SIERO 1. Que el Gestor de Infraestructuras ferroviarias realice las obras

Wine storage is the most complex and time-consuming activity required of beverage storeroom personnel. Depending on the type and volume of the restaurant, extremely large quantities of wine may be stored. In gen- eral, the finer wines in the United States are sold in bottles of 750 ml. For- eign wines are generally sold in bottles of approximately this size, but the contents may vary by a few milliliters more or less. Sometimes, larger bot- tle sizes may be sold, especially of sparkling wine, such as champagne. A tremendously underutilized bottle size that may also be purchased and stored is the half-bottle or split, which is about half the size of the 750-ml bottle. If you find that large numbers of couples or two-person groups are coming to your restaurant, it is simply unrealistic to assume that they will have before-dinner drinks, a full 750-ml bottle of wine with dinner, and then finish the meal with coffee and after-dinner drinks. In to- day’s age of caution about drinking and driving, the trend is away from this kind of consumption, and if wine sales are to maintain their current levels, operators would do well to provide the option of the half-bottle to their guests.

Regardless of bottle size stored, the techniques for proper wine stor- age must be followed in all cases if the quality of the product is to be main- tained and product losses are to be kept at a minimum. Despite the mys- tery associated with wine storage, the effective manager will find that proper wine storage can be achieved if the following factors are moni- tored:

1. Temperature

2. Light

3. Cork condition

Temperature A great deal of debate has centered around the proper temperature at which to store wine. All can agree that red wine should be served at cellar temperature. There is, however, less agreement about what exactly is meant by “cellar temperature.” When serving white wine by the glass, we may find that the proper storage temperature, at least for the containers currently being used, is refrigerator temperature. Obvi- ously, this would not do for a case of fine red wine. But, generally speak- ing, most experts would agree that wines should be stored at a tempera- ture of 50 to 65°F (10–18°C). If you find, however, that wines must be stored at higher temperatures than this, the wine storage area should be as cool as can reasonably be achieved, and it is important to remember that, while wine may improve with age, it improves only if it is properly stored. Heat is an enemy of effective wine storage.

Light Just as wine must be protected from excess heat, it must also be protected from direct sunlight. In olden times, this was achieved by stor- Storing Beverage Products

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ing wines in underground cellars or caves. In your own foodservice es- tablishment, this means using a storage area where sunlight cannot penetrate and where the wine will not be subject to excessive fluores- cent or incandescent lighting. With regard to light, the rule of thumb for storing wine is that it should be exposed only to the minimum amount necessary.

Cork Condition It is the wine’s cork that protects it from oxygen, its greatest enemy, and from the effects of oxidation. Oxidation occurs when oxygen comes in contact with bottled wine; you can detect a wine that has been overly oxidized because it smells somewhat like vinegar. Oxidation deteriorates the quality of bottled wines; thus, keeping oxygen out of the wine is a prime consideration of the vintner and should be important to you as well.

Cork has proven, over the years, to be the bottle sealer of choice for most wine producers. Quality wines demand quality corks, and the best wines are fitted with cork sealers that should last many years if they are not allowed to dry out. This is the reason wine should be stored in such a manner that the cork remains in contact with the wine and, thus, stays moist. In an effort to accomplish this, most foodservice managers store wines on their sides, usually on specially built wine racks. Corks should be inspected at the time the wine is received and periodically thereafter to ensure that there are no leaks resulting in oxidation and, thus, damaged products. If a leak is discovered, the wine should be refused; if the leak oc- curs during storage, the wine should be examined for quality and then ei- ther consumed or discarded, as appropriate.

In general, you can effectively manage the storage of wines if you think about how you should treat the cork protecting the wine. If the cork is always kept

1. Cool

2. In the dark

3. Moist

then the wine the cork is protecting is likely to be properly stored. Proper beverage storage techniques are important if you hope to have the desired amount of product ready and available for service dur- ing the beverage production process. In most instances, wine and beer will be consumed directly from their original containers. With spirits, on the other hand, the bartender will probably find that the guest prefers the spirit mixed with some other product to make the beverage fit his or her personal preference. While this presents no particular problem in making the drink, it does raise a unique costing and control issue for you.