How to Store Wine
Very few wine lovers are fortunate enough to own a cellar that is build specifically for their wine collection. Since most of us have imperfect storage arrangements for our wine we really need to understand how to protect our wine from conditions that could damage it.
Each wine will react differently to adverse conditions. Most of the time red wine is more robust and white wine is more delicate. Of course there are also variations between the different kinds of grapes as well. Regardless of these different variations there are still some factors and options that you need to consider when storing your wine. These include:
1. Temperature and light are what are responsible for doing the most damage to your wine. The ideal temperature is 7 – 13 degrees C. When you keep you wine at a warmer temperature it will mature faster. Whatever you do though you will definitely want to keep your wine at a constant temperature. If you are able to keep all of the other factors at their optimum then you can store your wine at room temperature as long as this temperature remains constant. The best place to do this is against your Northern wall, especially underneath a set of stairs or inside of a well-insulated garage. It is a good idea to keep a thermometer here too so that you can make sure that the temperature remains consistent.
2. Your wine needs to be kept somewhere dark because both natural and artificial light can do a lot of damage to your wine. If you cannot find a dark place to keep your wine then block off the area with a curtain or cover your wine with a blanket.
3. Humidity also plays a role in wine storage. The ideal range of humidity is between 70 – 75%. Without this humidity oxidation tends to have more of a chance of occurring.
4. Wine should not be moved a lot. If you really need to move your wine or if it has just been delivered then you need to let the wine rest for a few days. If you live in a house that is shaken a lot by traffic, trains, or planes, then your wine needs to be stored in the area that is least affected.
5. Even though there are a lot of wine racks to choose from the best ones are those that allow the wine to rest on its side. Purchasing this type of wine rack is important since this will allow the wine to remain in contact with its cork, which keep the cork from drying out and allowing air to seep in.
The previous five points are the main things that you will want to consider whenever you are deciding where to store your wine. Of course there are also wine storage cabinets for sale, but these are expensive. Nevertheless, these cabinets can be a nice investment since they can provide you with absolutely perfect storage conditions. There are also companies that sell and install spiral wine cellars, which are another great option. Furthermore, you can also rent wine cellar space. You would need to make sure that you are renting from a reputable wine merchant though. Many of these options can be quite costly but they are well worth the money if you are truly concerned about protecting your investment.
