We have a boat and keep wine aboard. Nothing is nicer than a glass of wine at sunset on the back of the boat! Or any time for that matter! The question is due to swings in temperature on the boat, it can get warm during the week and then cool on the weekends as we run the AC, what impact or damage is that doing to the wines? Would I be better off keeping all the whites and reds in the refrigerator and take out the reds as needed? Will staying chilled too long be an issue?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
While storage questions are a common concern on the LWE forum, yours is the first I've answered from a boat owner! There seem to be some very particular points to consider in this case. It's not clear where your boat is used - a North American lake, the San Francisco Bay, or the Florida Keys? Is the boat in service for a few months during the summer, or year-round? These elements will bear on the issue of optimum storage. In general, wine may suffer if it experiences significant short-term swings in temperature from very warm to cool. From your comments, the wine seems to be kept at a warm temperature - exactly how high? - for five days a week, then cooled for another two. If your use of the boat is seasonal, this might be acceptable provided, first, that the highest temperature is not above 75 F or so (recognizing that it may be much hotter below deck), and, second, that you are keeping rather basic wines on board. While a refrigerator is far from ideal in normal use, if the door is not opened for five days, then the extreme variations in temperature and humidity are avoided. So, in short, here's my best advice. Store wines on the boat in the refrigerator for short periods in hot summer weather, but only keep basic, modestly priced wines. Bring one or two special bottles with you from home when you enjoy the boat on weekends. And, finally, avoid longer-term storage of wine aboard - good wine deserves good storage conditions. Hope this addresses your concerns.
