Being a wine expert involves more than just knowing what wine to order in a restaurant. A proper wine enthusiast should know how to store wine in a proper manner. Although there are a few simple instructions for storing wine, various types of wine need different storing conditions. Even if you don’t have the luxury of owning a fancy wine cellar, you can still create optimal wine storing conditions in your home.
If you ever saw a wine cellar than you have probably already deducted the main characteristics of a wine storing place. It needs to be relatively dark and chilly and the wine should be stored horizontally. Lets elaborate these main characteristics. The most important thing you must keep in mind when learning how to store wine is the temperature which should be around 55º F. This condition excludes the refrigerator as a storing facility, since the temperatures here often drop beneath 45º F. If the temperature is too low the wine could change its flavor to a more bitter one. However if you are planning to store wine for a short amount of time variations from the recommended temperature will not have devastating effects but you should still try to avoid rapid changes of temperature. There are also some new refrigerators that come with integrated wine coolers. If you are an avid wine drinker, read some french door refrigerator reviews and see which units include this feature.
The next important aspect of storing wine is light. You may have noticed that wine is usually bottled in colored bottles. These have the purpose of protecting the wine against light which can cause premature aging. Another important thing to consider when learning how to store wine is a room’s humidity. A 70 % humidity is recommended in order to make sure that the corks will not get dry. Dry corks will allow the air to get into the bottle. You can also avoid the corks getting dry by placing the wine bottles horizontally. If you are planning on storing wine for a long time you should be careful with the movement of the bottles. You want them to be as still as possible. Keep in mind that even vibrations can spoil a wine.
An easy solution for storing wine is to buy a wine cooler. However you should know that these equipment is only meant for short period storing. If you truly value wine and want to build a collection of sophisticated wines a cellar is the best solution for you. Another thing that you must remember is that some types of wine might require special storing conditions.
