24 Apr What is the Best Way to Store my Wine
For centuries, wine has been stored in underground cellars and wine caves, and there is a reason for it. These are the best places to store wines because they provide the ideal conditions such as cool, humid, dark and undisturbed surroundings. Wine storing basics are not so difficult to understand, but it’s important to attempt to create these conditions if you are planning on storing wine for a longer period of time.
Wine Storing Tips
Even as you do so, keep in mind that not all wines will benefit from cellaring. It’s almost always the fine wines that age well. Here are some tips to store your wine:
#1 The Cooling Factor
Wine should be stored anywhere between 12°C -18°C, so long as it is a stable temperature. Excessive heat wreaks havoc on any wine. Just as you focus on storing it at the right temperature, it’s also important to maintain a temperature constant
#2 Humidity
This is another factor you should be paying attention to when you are storing wine. Higher humidity levels helps in preventing wine cork shrinkage. If the humidity levels are not up to the mark, it can result in cracking, shrinkage and deterioration of the cork. This will let oxygen into the bottle and result in oxidation of the wine.
#3 Light
Wine does not react well to light and that is exactly why the best wines will always be available in dark glass bottles. This glass keeps out the UV rays and prevents deterioration of the wine. If you keep the bottle exposed to sunlight, it will impact the flavor of the wine and result in premature aging. White wines are very sensitive to light and tend to degrade faster when exposed to direct sunlight. However, reds also get impacted if they are kept in direct sunlight for a longer period of time
#4 Vibration-Free
A number of people tend to store wine above the refrigerator under staircases or floorboards and other unsuitable places. These places see a lot of disturbance in terms of vibrations. Refrigerators tend to send out vibrations and so do stairs when someone is climbing up or down them. It’s the same with floorboard space. This vibration agitates the wine and does not give the sedimentation a chance to settle
#5 Store it sideways
It’s important to store wine sideways and not upright. This helps keep the cork in contact with the contents of the bottle. It keeps the cork moist and prevents shrinkage, protects the wine from oxidation and helps keep the colour, aromas and flavours intact.
Cellaring
There are some distinct benefits to cellaring fine wine. You spend a significant amount of money on purchasing wines and the one way to ensure that it stays in a good condition is to cellar it. If you are wondering whether you are going to have place in your home for a cellar, it’s not really difficult to get a custom designed cellar installed. Signature Cellars are specialists in this space who design and build distinctive-looking small & large scale cellars for residences. These temperature-controlled cellars are ideal for storing all your fine wines.
Warehousing
This is another option open to you. If you feel that there isn’t sufficient amount of space in your home to accommodate an elaborate cellar, you can consider the option of storing your wine in a public storage/warehouse. Today a number of companies offer these specialised services. It’s a good way of ensuring that your wine is stored in ideal conditions. These warehouses also have the appropriate security and your expensive wines will be well looked-after there.
Your Home Wine Cellar
These warehouses are temperature-controlled and are an excellent option for long-term storage, especially if your wine is being kept as an investment. In many ways, it takes the hassle out of storing and looking after your wine collection. But if you prefer to stock your wine in your home and have the pleasure of looking at it when you feel like, or the convenience of reaching for a bottle for a quick celebration, getting a cellar installed is the best option. For more information, call Signature Cellars with your requirement on 0412 521 226. You can also use this contact form to get in touch with us.
Thanks for reading,
Neil Smallman
Signature Cellars
02 9340 7515
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