While the most important aspect of wine is definitely drinking it, a close second is storing it. How you store your wine will dictate the way it tastes and when/how you get to enjoy it.
Beer and liquor are pretty simple when it comes to storage but our good friend wine, she’s a little more particular.
Here are some of our tips for storing your wine correctly!
- Keep it horizontal. If your wines stand upright, the liquid never touches the cork. If those bottles are there for years, that cork could dry right out which means it’s going to be a real struggle to get it out when you do decide to open it.
- Pay attention to temperature. Wine should never be frozen. Some wines need to be stored at a lower temperature and some are better at room temperature. Red wines are best just slightly below room temperature while white sparkling wines are best served chilled. You don’t necessarily have to keep the chilled wines in the fridge as soon as you buy them but it’s important to make sure they never get too warm. Wine fridges can be a good idea if you are an avid buyer – they help regulate temperatures for specific kinds of wine so you never have to worry about it.
- Consider the humidity. Similarly to temperature, you want to limit the amount of humidity that is in contact with your wine, especially if you plan to let it sit for a few years before you enjoy it. Humidity can rot the cork which allows for oxygen to get past it into the bottle, distorting the flavors of your wine.
- Avoid too much light. Direct sunlight or overhead light is a nemesis to good wine. UV exposure causes tannins to oxidate in red wines and can cause it to get skunky and weird.
Think cool, dark places when considering where to store your wine. If you don’t have a basement, a wine fridge could be a great choice. At a bare minimum, keep your wines out of the fridge and give them a space on a nice wine rack or shelf where you can store them sideways so they don’t go to waste from bad corks.
