It must be frustrating when you need to go to the liquor store for a bottle of wine when unexpected guests show up at your front door. For this and other unexpected situations, it is always wise to buy wine in bulk quantities. Sounds simple, right? However, wines require special conditions for storing. It is not just about piling bottles in your kitchen cabinet or pantry. There are certain rules that should be followed when it comes to proper wine storage.
Since how a bottle of wine is stored can make a real difference, in terms of the aroma and flavor, here is a simple guide for keeping your wine collection properly:
1. Keep them in places with cool temperatures: Heat is a number one enemy of every wine. High temperatures can make the wine to age faster, and this can destroy the wine aroma and flavor . The ideal temperature range between 7C to 18C.
2. Cool temperature is ideal, but avoid too cool places. Storing your wines in the refrigerator is fine for a couple of months, however it is not a good idea for a long term. That’s because the average fridge temperature falls well bellow 7C for keeping perishable foods.
3. Avoid temperature swings. Another important thing is to avoid rapid or frequent temperature changes. Again, frequent temperature changes can affect the wine taste and smell.
4. Consider the light exposure. It is not recommended to keep your wines on places that are exposed to direct light, especially sunlight. That’s because the UV rays can degrade and prematurely age the wine. The household bulbs don’t affect the wine, but can fade the label on the long run.
5. Opt for horizontal racking. Horizontal racking is a space-efficient way to store your wine bottles. That’s because when bottles are stored horizontally, the cork is well-protected from drying out.
When choosing a perfect place to store your wine bottles, avoid your kitchen, laundry room or any other room where hot temperatures could affect the taste, colour and smell. If finding the perfect place may sound a little difficult, you can consider buying a small wine cooler.
