The Importance of Proper Wine Storage

Many people, even those who drink wine regularly, truly do not understand the incredible importance of proper wine storage. It is actually one of the most important factors relating to enjoying fine wine. Storing your wine in the appropriate way is critical, not only in terms of making it last, but also because it helps to enhance the overall aromas and flavor of the wine.

Storing wine properly is also important because, just like food, it is perishable, and so especially if you have very expensive bottles of wine, you are going to want to take good care of them and make them last.

The Basics

When it comes to wine storage, one of the first and most important things that everyone should know is that wine needs to be stored in a dark, damp place. Optimum conditions for storing wine include stable temperatures around 55°F, with a humidity of about 80%.

Wherever you are actually storing your wine, preferably in a cellar or wine refrigerator, you need to make sure that the temperature is kept cool and steady, because cool temperatures slow the aging process of wine. Likewise, if you keep your wine in higher temperatures, the aging process will speed up.

If you do not have a cellar or special refrigerator, then you can always store your wine in the basement of your home. Just make sure that it is constantly dark, and that there is little to no vibration. If you do not have a basement either, then you can store your wine in any air conditioned part of your home, such as a closet.

Keep it on its Side

One of the most important aspects to wine storage involves keeping the wine bottles on their side. This is because oxygen is wine's worst enemy, and the cork on the wine is the only thing keeping the oxygen from getting to the wine and spoiling it.

In order for the cork to maintain its shape and tightness, it needs moisture, and by keeping the bottles of wine on their side, the cork will constantly be kept moist by the wine in the bottle. For extreme periods of time, a humidity controlled environment will also be needed in order to keep the cork from drying out and shrinking.

Proper wine storage is critical, regardless of how many bottles of wine you have or how expensive they are. Wine storage is an important issue that you should take seriously, and will help enhance the overall experience of any bottle of wine.