One of the greatest pleasures you can have from learning and enjoying wine is curating a wine collection personal to your taste. However, choosing and buying wines are not the only two things you need to take care of. It is also essential to know about wine storage. It has been said that when preserved correctly, wines can last for decades and grow in quality and value. Now that not all have personal cellars, this article will tell different techniques following which you can store your wine bottles.
Store wine bottles at the appropriate temperature
Temperature is one of the most critical factors influencing stored wines’ quality. It is not advisable to keep wine at too high or too low temperatures as it loses quality and character. The ideal temperature for wine storage can vary from wine to wine. However, it ideally ranges between 100 degrees Celsius and 150 degrees Celsius.
To store wines at the right temperature, you need a temperature-controlled wine rack or cellar. But if you don’t have any, you can keep your wine bottles in cupboards or spaces away from direct light that are not too hot or humid.
Store wine bottles horizontally
For maximizing the longevity of wines in the corked bottles, it is recommended to store these bottles horizontally in a wine rack. Placing a wine bottle on its side helps keep the cork moist, which is essential for its long-term storage because moist cork can result in seepage and premature aging.
Store wine bottles at the proper humidity
Humidity extremes in a wine cellar or storage area are another factor that influences your wine’s longevity. Storing bottles at too low humidity levels, the wine’s corks can dry out, leaving the wines vulnerable to the effects of oxygen. While storing wine at too high humidity levels can cause labels from the bottles to peel off, making it challenging to distinguish wines. Ideally, the wine cellar humidity should be between 60% and 68%.
Avoid direct sunlight and vibration
Now that sunlight and incandescent lighting can damage the wine’s quality, you should store your wine bottles in the dark. Harmful UV rays can adversely damage the flavours and aromas of wines. Also, it is better to keep wines away from vibration sources, including the washing machine, exercise area, stereo system, or dryer. Vibrations are known to disturb sediments in the bottle, which further can disrupt the delicate process that causes wines to age prematurely.
Always store wine bottles in a wine fridge
Storing wine bottles in a regular kitchen refrigerator is a big no as it is not too cold for a wine. The cork of the bottle dries out in a standard fridge which results in a musty-smelling wine. In case you don’t have a wine storing cool, dark, and moist cellar, you can opt for a wine refrigerator to store your wine. A wine fridge is known to maintain the proper humidity and keeps wine between 10 degrees Celsius and 15 degrees Celsius. Also, storing wine in a separate fridge will help prevent cross-contamination from food odors.
Conclusion
There is always a right and wrong way to store wine bottles at home. So many wine-related problems can be solved or avoided by just keeping your wine bottles properly at home. If you are planning to store your wine for weeks, months, or years, consider using these techniques to store the wine bottles correctly. With these tips, you don’t have to worry about your favorite wines falling flat.
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