Are you confused about proper wine storage?
There’s lots of advice out there, and it can be confusing to learn how to best store your wine.
But if you keep a few basic principles in mind, your favorite wines should stay tasty and in good condition until you’re ready to pour them.
Use these five tips to protect your wine.
1. Get the Temperature Right
Temperature is one of the most important factors in protecting your wine while you store it. You want your wine on the cool side but not too cold. An ideal range is 50 to 58 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature fluctuations can also negatively affect the wine. Avoid fluctuations of more than 10 to 15 degrees.
Your kitchen is one of the worst places to store wine because of potential fluctuations. Heat from your refrigerator, dishwasher, and stove can affect the quality of the wine.
A wine cooler is an ideal way to store your wine at the perfect temperature. A regular refrigerator is colder than the ideal range. Choose one of the best wine cooler brands gives you better results with consistent performance.
2. Consider Humidity
Humidity isn’t a huge deal with wine unless you plan to age it for a few years. Since most wine today is meant to drink immediately, this isn’t as much of an issue.
Humidity is important in keeping the cork moist. If it’s too dry, the cork also dries out.
A dry cork can expose the wine to air, which can cause your wine to oxidize. Some oxidation is used in the winemaking process, but wine that’s exposed to too much oxygen changes. You’ll likely experience a flat, bitter taste.
If you go through your wine quickly, you shouldn’t need to worry as much about this issue. But if you have a large collection or plan to store bottles for extended periods of time, pay attention to the humidity.
The safe range for wine is between 50 and 80% humidity. Lower ranges can dry out the cork. Higher humidity can lead to mold, which mainly affects the label if the bottle is sealed properly.
3. Cut the Lights
You don’t want your wine in the spotlight while you store it. UV light causes wine to age prematurely and degrade. Colored glass bottles help protect the wine from UV rays, but your best bet is to store your wine in a cool, dark place where you don’t have to worry about light damage.
4. Store Bottles Horizontally
Ever notice how wine racks position the bottles horizontally? There’s a reason for that design.
Wine bottles stored horizontally help keep the corks moist. The wine touches the cork to keep it from drying out.
If your wine has a screwcap or the cork is made of alternative materials, such as plastic or glass, this isn’t an issue. Although, you still may choose a horizontal storage position to save space.
5. Keep It Still
Lots of vibrations or movement can speed up the aging process in wine. Unless you’re aging your wine for an extended time or have it near some serious vibrations, this shouldn’t be much of an issue.
Choose a storage spot where it won’t get jostled or be affected by vibrations to be on the safe side. An out-of-the-way spot that’s not near any appliances that create vibrations is ideal.
Master Wine Storage
With proper wine storage in mind, you can enjoy your favorite vino in its full glory. Simple storage considerations prevent premature aging and protect the flavor of the wine.
Pour yourself a glass of your perfectly stored wine and browse our travel sections for more useful information.
