18 August,2010 06:55 AM IST | | Aditi Sharma
The bottle, we mean. the bubbly that Sachin Tendulkar received for being declared man of the match at old trafford in 1990, was opened eight years later at his daughter's first birthday. Here's a quick guide to how to store your spirits, and for how long
The magnum champagne bottle that cricketer Sachin Tendulkar received on scoring his first test ton in 1990 at Old Trafford, was popped open in 1998 on his daughter Sara's first birthday. Storing a spirit for this long, isn't easy, or a good idea, experts will tell you, considering India's humid weather.
It works differently for different spirits, though. The basics of storing wines are pretty easy keep the bottle in a temperature-controlled environment (around 10 to 15 degrees), away from constant vibration and sunlight, or artificial light.
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"Wine is a living liquid, and when it is exposed to vibration, it undergoes bottle shock. It does not taste the same if it's moved around violently," says Nikhil Agarwal, trained sommelier and director of All Things Nice, a consultancy that promotes wine and food culture in India.
In the case of corked wine, it's important that the bottle is stored on its belly so that the cork remains wet. "It's the same with champagne. Champagne comes only in corked bottles, so you have to be particular about not storing it, standing upright," says Agarwal.
While storing most other spirits, temperature, bottle shock and exposure to light rules apply too. Beer and whisky have to be stored in opaque or brown bottles rather than green ones, to minimise exposure to light that could change the taste. "Unlike wine, whisky is powerful enough to degrade the cork cover.
Your best bet would be to store your bottles right-side up. Remember, a dry cork would wither away and lose its tight seal in no time. If this happens, air will pass through the bottle, ruining the whisky," says Ankit Negandhi, mixologist and owner of Barwings Hospitality.
Storing vodka and tequila, is the trickiest. Experts, in fact, suggest that it's best to consume tequila within one to three months of buying the bottle. "Tequila doesn't last. You have to drink it soon otherwise it starts to lose its zest," says Negandhi. Vodka is a no-fuss spirit.
"Vodka in a glass bottle is best stored in the freezer," suggests Negandhi. And here's a bartending secret "chilled vodka, just out of the freezer, is the best way to serve the spirit, neat.
Serving it at room temperature with ice, is not the same." If you are worried about the vodka freezing, don't. The high alcohol content will prohibit any such disaster.
On August 14, 1990, Sachin Tendulkar scored a match-saving 119 against Graham Gooch's English team
at Old Trafford, Manchester. The 160-run partnership for the seventh wicket helped India win against an attack comprising the pacy Devon Malcolm, wily Angus Fraser and teasing off-spinner Eddie Hemmings. Tendulkar regards the Old Trafford ton among 20 of his most memorable cricketing moments.
