Wine Storage Tips

Just like anything else, the flavor and quality of wine changes over the course of time. That's why we want to pay attention to how we store it. Fortunately, the things that cause wine to age properly or turn to vinegar are ones we can control. Here are some wine storage tips to help you make sure that your bottles stay in top condition.

1. Avoid air. Nothing spoils wine faster than contact with the air, causing the liquid to lose freshness and turn into vinegar. Glass isn't air permeable, but cork is, which is why you need to make sure that your corks stay moist. Store wine at an angle or horizontally to keep it fresh.

2. Humidity is important. Even properly stored wine will suffer from drying corks if you don't store it at a high enough humidity. Don't go too high, though - the cork will mold. About seventy percent is ideal for wine storage.

3. The right temperature is important. Too cold, and the cork will shrink, allowing air to enter the bottle. Too warm, and your wine will suffer from accelerated aging. Wine should ideally be stored between fifty and fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit, or ten to twelve degrees Celcius. However, if you keep the wine at a constant temperature anywhere between forty to sixty-five degrees (five and eighteen degrees Celsius), you'll be okay.

4. Track temperature change as well as overall temperature. How fast the temperature in the bottle changes makes a difference in wine quality. Ten degrees over several months won't hurt your wine, but if the wine changes in temperature quickly or frequently, it'll be damaged, even if those temperatures are in the right range.

5. Light is another big problem. Keep light exposure to the minimum. Fortunately, there are UV filters on most modern bottles. How do you know if wine has gotten too much light? You won't until you open the bottle - light struck wine will have an unpleasant smell. Indoor lights around wine should be incandescent instead of fluorescent (when possible), since these produce less UV.

6. Don't let your wine vibrate! That might seem like it won't be a problem, but some commercial wine coolers will rattle your bottles, stirring sediment and interfering with the aging process. Even moving the wine while it's being aged can be a problem, so leave it where it is until you need to drink it.

7. Bigger bottles are better. That's because there's less air in a larger bottle. Use these when possible, and if you don't drink all the wine in a day or so, transfer the leftovers to a smaller bottle for temporary storage.

8. You don't need special storage. Casual drinkers can usually keep their wine anywhere that's not bright or exposed to much heat. That means that any cool, dark location, like a closet or the basement, will work if you drink all your wine within a year. Collectors will need to get specialized storage, of course.

9. Drink cheaper wines first. If the wine cost you less than ten dollars, it won't last as long. It might not be bad to drink, but consume it within six months or so - don't age it.

10. Drink white wines before red. You'll want to pair the wine with the meal and occasion, of course, but whites age less well than reds, and will last for a shorter time.