Wine is distinguishable from all other beverages available in the market. It comes in different flavours and kinds. Some types of wine are made to be consumed as soon as they’re opened or within days of their purchase, while fine wines are designed to be laid down and enjoyed after years of aging. Keen to know how you can keep your wines’ premium quality and taste longer? Here are some wine storage tips you might find helpful.
Keep your wines in a cool and dark place. Do you wonder why most wines are manufactured in tinted bottles? Vintners craft these coloured bottles to keep the UV rays of the sun and interior lighting from penetrating and damaging the wine. Choose a spot that is dark, with a temperature of 70 degrees or less to prevent your wine from ageing prematurely or from being ‘cooked in heat’.
Keep your wines in a noise-free environment. Noise can cause vibrations that affect the quality of wine over time. Studies show that substantial vibrations speed up chemical reactions in wine which becomes the main reason for its poor taste. Don’t place your wine bottles on top of a refrigerator or other appliances, or in high traffic areas inside your house. Stock them in a quiet area. This allows the sediment, which give wines their pleasant taste, to settle appropriately.
Store your wines on their sides. Storing wines on their sides or horizontal racking will keep the cork from drying out and letting the liquid inside the bottles spill. This also allows you to save space, especially when you have a lot of fine wines to age. Sparkling wines are an exception to horizontal racking though. They need to be stored in an upright position to prevent bubble formation inside the bottle and possible bursting.
Store your wines in a clear visual display. While it is advisable to keep your wines somewhere cool, dark and quiet, you must make sure that your chosen storage spot is accessible and visible. It is important that you can easily check on your collection from time to time. This lets you know which of your wines might have already gone bad for some reason.
Choose the appropriate storage unit for your wine. Consider purchasing a wine storage unit if you don’t have a basement which you can turn into a perfect cellar. You may purchase a small wine cooler or a huge wine refrigerator depending on your budget and the size of your collection. You can never go wrong with wine storage units because they are specially designed to provide the perfect environment and temperature which fine wine needs.
