Did you know that improper wine storage can ruin an entire bottle of vino? That’s correct! That’s why it’s important to learn about proper wine storage and take steps to ensure that your wines are kept in good condition. In this blog post, we will provide you with tips on how to store wine, as well as information on different wine storage solutions. We’ll also discuss the importance of temperature and humidity when it comes to storing wines. So, if you’re wondering how to store wine properly, read on for helpful advice!
Store Wine Horizontally
The first thing you’ll need to do when properly storing wine is to store it horizontally. You might not have realized it, but the position in which you store wine is quite important. If you store wine upright, the wine doesn’t make contact with the cork, and the cork can dry out. This can lead to premature aging and seeping. By storing wine horizontally, you can keep the cork moist.
How To Serve Wine Properly
Now that you have a good idea as to how wine should be properly stored, you should learn how to serve wine properly. Aside from presentation, wine should be served at the appropriate temperatures, which are different from wine to wine. High-caliber white wine, available on Oddbins, should be served at a temperature between 45-55˚F (8-12˚C). Red wine on the other hand, should be served at a temperature between 58 and 65˚F (about 12-19˚C). If you are serving something like white sparkling wine or champagne, it can be served at about 38-45˚F (5-8˚C).
Store at the Proper Temperature
The next thing that you should do to store wine properly would be to store the wine at the appropriate temperature. You might not be aware of this, but different wines should be stored at different temperatures. A general rule of thumb would be to store wine at about 13 degrees Celsius, or 55 degrees Fahrenheit. However, this can change from wine to wine. You should never store wine above 68°F (20°C) or below 25 °F (-4ºC). This could cause the wine to overheat and accelerate the aging process, or cause it to freeze.
Ensure Proper Humidity
Another factor that you should take into consideration when storing wine is the humidity in which it is stored. A wine that is stored at a humidity level below 60% will cause the cork to dry out. As mentioned above, this can lead to premature aging due to the effects of oxygen. Humidity higher than 68% might cause the labels to peel off, which is not helpful if you want to sell the wine.
Use a Wine Fridge
One of the best things that you could do to ensure that you are storing wine properly would be to get a wine fridge. A wine fridge, or wine cooler, is different from a regular refrigerator; regular refrigerators are meant to keep food cold and dry. A wine cooler, on the other hand, uses the correct humidity and keeps the wine at a temperature of 10 to 15 degrees Celsius, and (50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit). You should also avoid storing wine and food in the same fridge due to the risks of cross-contamination.
Keep Away From Vibration and Light
Another thing that you should keep in mind when storing wine is vibration and light. Vibration caused by things such as a washing machine or dishwasher could cause the sediments in the wine to be disturbed, which will disrupt the process that helps the wine age properly. Light, such as UV rays, can have quite a large detrimental effect on the flavor of your wine as well as the aromas.
How To Store Opened Wine Properly
Finally, not every bottle of wine that you open will be finished, so it’s important to know how to store wine that has already been opened but is not finished. The easiest way to do this would be to use a sheet of wax paper over the bottle opening and place the cork back inside. If you can’t use a cork, you could use a rubber wine stopper.
