Several factors might act in combination to reduce the quality of wine, which is why proper storage is critical. Whether a wine lover or a collector, proper wine storage goes a long way toward wine aging, particularly its quality. Now let’s look at some of the most important tips on how you can store your wine to ensure the bottles remain in their optimum conditions.
1. Control Temperature Consistently
Temperature has always been the most crucial thing affecting wine storage. Optimum storage conditions comprise of temperature that lies in between 12° C- 15 °C (or 53 °F – 59 °F). A change in the temperature affects the wines shelf-life or it undergoes chemical transformation and will not be fit for consumption. Do not keep wine at places with regular fluctuations in temperatures like the kitchen or the garage. To get the best results though it’s recommended to have a wine storage with accurate and controlled temperature.
2. Regulate Humidity Levels
Temperature control is important, much more so if your bottles use corks; the relative humidity should lie between 60%-70%. Airborne moisture and low relative humidity may make the corks dry up and therefore permit air to seep into the wine and spoil it. At the same time, high humidity negatively affects the corks and labels, as the formation of mold grows the likelihood. Good wine storage should be able to provide reliable, particularly in terms of humidity to keep your wine collection safe.
3. Keep Wine in the Dark
In fact, light and particularly, ultraviolet light will gradually spoil wine over time as we have seen. UV light alters the chemical properties of wine, and this has an inevitable impact on the taste ad appearance of the wine. Wine should be stored in a dark area or, better yet, the containers themselves should be UV resistant. LED lighting should be used for low exposure when warranted because it is a safe type of light.
4. Store Wine Horizontally
Storing wine horizontally ensure that the cork remains moist and thus prevent air from getting to the wine to cause oxidation. This is specifically the case in wines with natural corks because a dry cork shrinks and, in so doing, let air in to ruin the wine. Horizontal storage also has the advantage of space and is most effective in the use wine racks and exclusive storage.
5. Minimize Vibration
Vibration causes sediment to mix with the wine and this renders a particular kind of wine turbid. Storing wine to reduce its vibration and keep it away from appliances and places with high traffic also plays a big part in the wine’s quality. Self-contained wine storage units with anti-vibration are a perfect solution when it comes to long-term storage of wine.
6. Choose a Temperature-Controlled Storage Facility
If you do not have adequate space for storage of these items in your home, then an atmospheric storage firm could suffice. Wine storage professionals keep the conditions of temperature, humidity and light in perfect control to protect your wine. Security and climate control systems are also characteristic features of many of these facilities.
7. Avoid Strong Odors Near Wine
Perhaps that is why wine is very jealously concerned with smell; Due to the corks through which air (and thus smells) get into the bottle with time. Do not place wine near any types of food, chemicals or cleaning products since your wines are likely to soak in the smells of the items near them.
8. Maintain Security for Valuable Collections
Security is of great importance if you are the kind of collector who is investing in high value coins. Security services include video monitoring 24/7, entry controls measures and insurance for your collection. They provide an extra level of protection for wine which is valuable, old or simply rarely used for consumption.
Final Thoughts
Every great wine needs to be stored under specific conditions, mainly temperature influences, humidity levels, lighting and so on. If you follow these strategies, you will be sure that your wine will taste just as the winemaker wants it to be when it reaches you in the bottle. If you age your wines at home or at a commercial wine cellar there are precautions that you can take to preserve your wines.