Three Tips for Storing your Wine Collection

Wine cellars add a touch of luxury to your house. More interestingly, you don’t need to break the bank to build one. Even a small area underneath the stairs or a pantry will suffice to make your own wine cellar. Once the place of the wine cellar has been decided, you will have to ensure that wine is stored correctly. Here are some useful tips for storing your vintage wine collection:

1. Regulate the Temperature

Temperature plays a significant role in maintaining wine quality. If the storage space gets too warm or too cold, the wine will get spoiled. Wine is ideally stored at around 13ºC. However, the temperature ought to be regulated as per the wine collection. It is recommended to consult the wine manufacturers in this regard. One rule of thumb is to never store wine below at around -4ºC as it will result in frozen wine. Also, any temperature above 20ºC will quicken the ageing process by destroying the wine’s vaporous compounds. It is equally important to keep the storage climate as stable as possible. Any fluctuation might result in the expansion or contraction of the cork that can damage the content of the wine bottle.

2. Store your Wine Collection Horizontally

All corked wine bottles should be stored horizontally. You can find beautiful oak wine racks for this purpose. For the longevity of the wine, holding the bottles on their sides help in maintaining moisture in the corks. Dried out wine corks result in premature ageing. Some wine lovers might find flat-sided storage not mandatory. However, depending on the design of your wine racks, horizontal storage makes the wine more accessible with maintaining maximum space.

Storing wine in wine racks is also an effective way to reduce vibration. Also, ensure to keep the storage space dark and away from UV rays. Direct sunlight can harm the wine’s aroma and flavour. Wine is a luxury product. The slightest vibrations from a stereo system can have a damaging impact on the sediments. Consequently, the delicate ageing process of the wine might get disrupted.

3. Opt for a Wine Fridge

If you don’t have sufficient space in your house for a wine cellar, you can also opt for a wine refrigerator. A wine refrigerator, also known as a wine cooler, is different from your standard refrigerator. Never store your vintage wine in a typical refrigerator if you want to maintain its quality. Your standard refrigerator keeps the stored food cold and dry; whereas, a wine fridge is specifically built to keep the wine stored at proper humidity (usually between 10-15˚C). You can also find good refrigerators that have a separate compartment for champagne. One essential benefit of keeping your wine away from other food is the prevention of food odours and contamination. Collecting wine is a luxury, the maintenance of which requires some investment in good-quality wine racks, wine fridge, and maybe even a wine cellar. Get whatever works best for you to store and safe-keep your precious wine collection.