Who doesn’t like a glass of wine from time to time? The rich taste of this drink makes us relax more and makes dinner or lunch more enjoyable. Or maybe you like to have a glass after a long day at work. However, if you’re a fan of this beverage, you also need to know how to store it properly.
You’ve probably heard that some of the best and most expensive wines are decades old. Still, for this drink to be able to sustain the test of time and become better with age, it needs to be preserved adequately. These are some of the ways you can ensure your wine collection is getting the attention it needs.
1. The proper position
The first thing you need to keep in mind when storing wine in your cellar is the position in which your bottles are laid out. The wine bottles need to be positioned horizontally in wine racks, and this furniture type will optimize your storage space. Also, this arrangement will provide you with easy access to the bottles while keeping them protected at the same time. The horizontal position is especially significant if your bottles have corks. For your wine to last for a long time, the cork needs to be always moist, which will happen if you keep them this way.
2. The right temperature
From all the factors that can influence the quality of your wine, the temperature is probably the most important. So, if you’re storing it in your cellar, you need to ensure the temperature is as stable as possible. In the case, it fluctuates too much or too often, there is a good possibility it will spoil. The fluctuations of this sort can cause the cork to expand and contract so the air can seep in.
The perfect temperature for preserving wine in top-notch condition is around 13C (55F). Still, look at the label or contact the manufacturer and ask them about the proper storage. However, never forget that below -4C (25F) and above 20C (68F) will cause problems. In these extremely low temperatures, the wine will freeze, while the warmer conditions will destroy all the valuable substances within the drink.
3. Sheild the bottles from light and vibrations
If you plan to store a particular bottle or bottles for an extended period, make sure they are not exposed to the light. This is one of the significant reasons why remodeling your cellar as wine storage is a good idea. Located below the ground surface, your precious beverage will be shielded from the light and stay undamaged. The reason behind this is UV rays that can seriously hurt the flavor of the wine.
Vibrations can be quite damaging as well. This movement of the air, which goes unnoticed by most of us, can really hurt the aging process of the wine. When it comes to the longevity of this liquid, humidity is another important factor. To have perfect conditions in your cellar, you should make sure humidity is somewhere between 60 and 68%.
4. Handling opened bottles
We’ve all found ourselves in that situation when we’re left with an unfinished bottle, and you are not sure what to do with it. Throwing it away would be a shame, but for how long will it be able to stay undamaged? Once opened, a wine bottle can last between 3 and 5 days. And that is if you’ve stored it properly.
The key is to recork the bottle properly. If you do it immediately after you’re done with it and cork it tightly, everything should be fine for the next couple of days. Also, don’t forget to place some wax paper around the cork and place it back in the rack horizontally. And in case you are not able to do this, you can use a rubber wine stopper. A more advanced option would be a vacuum pump. This small gadget is quite useful and will successfully stop any air from seeping into your bottle and spoiling the liquid.
Those who want to create perfect wine storage in their cellar should abide by these principles. If you manage to do that, you will preserve the freshness and the flavor of this popular alcoholic beverage. Ensure the temperature and the humidity of the room are at the desired level and don’t forget to protect your bottles from light and vibrations. Also, don’t forget that a horizontal position is the best to keep the cork moist and stop any air from entering.