How to Store Wine

If you are someone who enjoys drinking wine, it is important to know how to properly store it. Whether you are a wine connoisseur or someone who simply enjoys a good glass of wine, all of these tips apply to you. Properly storing wine ensures that your wine ages correctly and that you get the best-tasting bottle of wine possible. Incorrectly storing your wine can affect the chemicals and aging processes and leave you with poor tasting wine. Make sure to do the following to correctly store your wine.

Temperature

Make sure you store your wine somewhere slightly cooler than room temperature. Though it may look nice to have your wine on display, the typical temperature of your home will be slightly higher than recommended for storing wine. The ideal temperature for wine is around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Your wine will still be safe if the temperature is slightly higher, but as a rule of thumb, you want to keep it below 68 degrees. The warmer the temperature, the quicker wine will age and go bad.

It’s important to also avoid cold temperatures. Do not keep your wine anywhere that will go below 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Freezing your wine will impact the chemical structures and impact the taste. Wherever you choose to store your wine, avoid any fluctuations in temperature, as it will impact the aging process.

Humidity

Keeping bottles at the proper humidity is also very important, especially for corked wine. Low humidity will cause corks to crack. When corks crack, air seeps into the wine and impacts taste and longevity. On the other hand, high humidity can destroy the labels and cause them to peel off. You’ll want to keep your wine bottles at a humidity between 60-68 percent.

Lighting

It’s important to store your wine someplace dark. This could be a basement, closet, storage unit, or wine fridge. Consistent exposure to sunlight can damage the taste and smell of your wine.

Vibrations

Keep wine away from anything that vibrates. This could be your refrigerator, washer, dryer, or stereo equipment. The vibrations caused by these things disturb the sediments in the wine and may affect flavor.

Location

There are plenty of places that are suitable for storing wine. The best choice for storage would, of course, be a wine fridge. Unlike normal fridges like the one in your kitchen, a wine fridge stays between 50-60 degrees and maintains the proper humidity for wine storage. Normal fridges can dry out corks and often allow cross-contamination from other food.

Depending on the temperature and humidity of your basement, you may be able to get away with storing your wine there instead. Wherever you decide to store, it is critical that you store your wine bottles on their side. This is especially important for long-term wine storage. Storing your wine bottles horizontally helps keep the cork wet.

After Opening

After you have opened your wine bottle, your wine will remain in good quality for about 3-5 days. After that, it will begin to lose its flavor and aroma. To help your wine stay high quality, recork the bottle tightly. Place wax paper around the cork or use a wine stopper to keep air from seeping in. You may also choose to pour leftover wine into a smaller bottle to reduce air exposure.

Make sure to follow these steps when storing your wine. Maintaining the proper temperature, humidity, and lighting conditions will ensure you have the highest quality glass of wine every time you pour.

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