Storing wine is the topic for this installment of our wine guide…
The first thing you need to know when it comes to wine storage is to place your bottles on their side somewhere relatively cool and free from direct light. If you do this, youll be able to keep your wine for longer because the flavors won’t be damaged. However, knowing a bit more about wine storage will help you get the best out of your bottles.
Temperature is the most important factor to pay attention to. Keeping your wines between 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal; though a range of 45 to 65 degrees is considered acceptable. A lower, colder temperature causes the aging process to slow down, preventing the wine from aging properly. A higher, warmer temperature causes premature aging (not in a good way).
What hurts wine the most though is temperature fluctuation. As bad as it is, a steady temperature in extreme heat or cold is much better than constantly varying temperatures, even if the change is within the ideal range. The temperature should never fluctuate more than 5 degrees a day, especially with red wines, which suffer more temperature-related problems than white wines.
Humidity is also important as, unless its properly maintained, it can cause the cork to dry out, and this allows air to come into contact with the wine (which damages it). Try to keep your storage areas humidity level at around 70 to 80 percent, you can buy a hygrometer to keep track of this.
A wine cellar is the ideal place for storing wine because it maintains the optimal humidity and temperature; however, they aren’t practical for most people because of their size and cost. However, you can mimic the conditions of a wine cellar in a basement or garage. Just install a wine rack in one of these locations and include a thermometer and and temperature / humidity guage to keep track of conditions.
As for how long to store it for, this depends on the type of wine, the region the wine was made in, the technique used to make it, and the particular year the grapes were harvested in. However, as a general guideline, whites normally do not age for long, while reds age for 5-10 years. If you’re starting out, aging charts (which are available free online) can help you see when a wine is typically best enjoyed.
Wine Racks: Six Methods to Storing Your Wine
Tags: Extreme Heat, Flavors, Wine, Aging Process
