Wine is perishable, storage will determine how it reacts to its environment and how it ages. We have a few dos and don’ts that will help you with the storage of wine.
What you should do
- Find the right temperature
When storing wine, think 60/60, that is, 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and 60% humidity.
For long-term storage, wine does not like hot or dry climates.
- Store daily wines in the refrigerator
Place your daily wines in your refrigerator, including the daily reds. Remove the red wine 1 hour before drinking.
It’s always great to keep a few bottles of whites chilling in your fridge, especially in the warmer months.
- Avoid heat
Avoid heat at all times, storing in a wine refrigerator is best. However, a cool room would be a better alternative.
- Age your wine properly
Certain wines age better than others. White wines and rose don’t necessarily benefit from aging. Most should be consumed within 1 to 2 years. However, red wines can easily age 3 to 10 years and develop some interesting new flavors.
What you Should Avoid
- Saving wine past its prime
Often, wine is collected and saved way past its prime. Wine should be accessible and enjoyed for everyday pleasure.
- Letting your corks dry out
The optimal temperature should be 55 degrees and 70% relative humidity. Higher humidity protects the cork from drying out, which can lead to premature aging of the wine.
- Storing wine in the sun
UV light can damage the wine and cause premature aging as well as develop a bad smell in the wine. Most wines that are meant for aging are bottled in colored glass as the first line of defense against light damage.
- Leaving wine out after opening
If you want to extend the life of a partially consumed wine, pour your remaining wine into a smaller bottle or vessel containing a screw cap to reduce the amount of air inside the container. A narrow-mouthed mason jar or even a plastic water bottle would work, but glass is preferred.
Pro tip: If you do not finish a bottle of wine after opening it, you should store it in the fridge, this works for every type of wine.