Storing wine properly is important to get the best flavor from every bottle. Whether you want to age your wine to enhance its complexity or keep its fresh taste for future enjoyment, knowing how to store it correctly is key. Storing a bottle for years is different from storing one you’ll drink this weekend. To help your wine stay high quality and taste great when you finally open it, here are 6 essential tips on how to store wine for years.
1. Pay attention to the temperature
The ideal temperature recommended by the experts for both white and red wines is around 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius). While a few degrees up or down won’t make a significant difference, storing wine in an area that’s too hot or too cold can damage its quality. Temperatures below 25 degrees Fahrenheit can cause freezing, and those above 68 degrees Fahrenheit can make your wine age too quickly.
Additionally, rapid temperature fluctuations can affect the cork, leading to leaks or too much air entering the bottle. Maintaining a consistent temperature is key to ensuring your wine remains protected and develops complexity without the risk of spoiling. For best results, store red wines between 55°F and 60°F (13°C to 15°C) and white wines between 45°F and 55°F (7°C to 13°C).
2. Store wine horizontally
Many people store wine vertically, but this isn’t the best method. According to experts, storing wine horizontally keeps the cork moist, preventing it from drying out and shrinking, which can cause the wine to oxidize. A moist cork keeps a tight seal, which is crucial for aging wine properly. Horizontal storage also helps evenly distribute any sediment that forms over time. Plus, it makes it easier to pick a bottle and saves space in your wine fridge or cellar.
3. Proper light
Proper light protection is crucial when storing wine for several years. You want to keep the bottle away from light as much as possible. Sunlight, particularly UV rays, can degrade the quality of the wine and cause it to age more rapidly, much like how they can harm your skin. Even though wine bottles are tinted to filter out some harmful rays, they don’t block all light. UV light can cause chemical reactions in wine, degrading and prematurely aging it. Light exposure can also increase the wine’s temperature, potentially spoiling it. This is why wines are often stored in dark, stable environments like cellars or wine refrigerators. For best results, ensure your wine storage area is dark to protect it from these harmful effects.
4. Be careful with humidity
Store your wine in a place where the humidity is between 60-70%. Too much humidity can cause mold, while too little can dry out the corks and lead to oxidation. Using a small humidifier or a container of water can help maintain the right humidity level.
5. Ensure Clean Airflow
The cork seals the bottle but remains porous, allowing some air exchange that ages the wine gradually. Therefore, it’s important to keep the air in your wine storage area clean. Strong odors can seep through the cork and affect the wine’s aroma and taste.
When cleaning your storage space, use cleaners with mild scents or no scent at all. Even though cleanliness is crucial, strong scents can penetrate the cork and impact the stored wine.
6. Minimize Movement and Vibrations
Wherever you store your wine, it’s important to avoid vibrations. Steer clear of places like laundry rooms or closets near stereo systems, as even slight vibrations can disrupt the aging process, potentially hastening it and spoiling the wine. Vibrations can also prevent sediment from settling, leading to a less pleasant texture in your drink. Once you’ve stored a bottle, try not to move it. If you must relocate it, handle it gently to avoid disturbance.
MyStorage’s Cool Storage Rental Services For Storing Wine
At MyStorage, we provide cool storage rental services to meet your wine storage needs, both personal and business:
- Equipped with German standard temperature and humidity control systems
- 24/7 security cameras
- Regular cleaning and pest, insect control
- Professional staff with many years of experience in warehousing, preserving goods, and offering the best storage packages for customers
- Full range of additional services such as transportation, goods handling, inventory management, order processing, etc.
- Save on space rental and warehouse logistics costs, while optimizing efficiency and avoiding errors in processing and delivery
- MyStorage’s self-storage warehouse maintains a stable temperature of around 25°C. Moreover, MyStorage website updates the real-time cool storage temperature, allowing you to monitor the temperature anytime, anywhere.
With careful planning and proper storage, opening a special bottle of aged wine can mark a memorable milestone. It’s a moment everyone is sure to cherish and remember.
