Not ready to drink that wine of bottle just yet? Here are a few simple guidelines to help keep that wine safe for short term storage (if you don’t have a wine cooler/cellar) until you are ready to enjoy it!
1) Keep it cool!
Heat is the #1 enemy for wine. So look for a place like a cupboard or closet that won’t see huge temperature swings for storage. Ideal temps are 50-55°F, though going a little below or above won’t do any damage to the wine.
When wine becomes to warm, it starts to “cook” the wine and it ages prematurely. Too cold and the liquid can freeze, causing the wine to expand and push on the cork (and letting air in) or even break the glass.
2) No sunshine!
Sunshine helps prematurely age wine, so be sure to store it away from a wine. Dark spaces work best!
3) Where should I store it?
You don’t need a fancy wine cooler or cellar to store your wine. A cool cupboard (not in the kitchen), closet or basement that isn’t damp or moldy will do the trick. Don’t store wine in attics, hot garages, on top of refrigerators or above laundry machines.
Humidity is also a factor when storing wine. If a room is too humid, it can help dry out corks. So keep that in mind when choosing a place in your home.
Vibration isn’t good for wine either, so don’t store your wine under the basement stairs, near generators or areas with a lot of foot traffic.
4) On its side or standing up?
Store bottles with corks on their sides to prevent corks from drying out, which can let in too much air and cause the wine to go bad. Bottle has a screw cap or synthetic cork? Feel free to store them sideways or upright. Placing bottles on their sides tends to be more efficient space saver too.
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