Storing Wine

It's alive! Wine really is alive because it changes and adapts in response to its environment. How you store your wine affects how fast or slowly it will age, how it will taste and how much you will enjoy it. Read this wine storage information to find out if you are treating your bottles with care and to ensure that you get the most out of your purchase.

Stacking
* Stack wines on shelves made of wood, tile or cement because they resist temperature changes better than metal.
* Store fortified wines standing, but stack all other wines horizontally with their labels facing upward.
* Horizontal stacking keeps the cork in contact with the wine so the cork stays damp and elastic.
* Keeping the labels upward makes it easier to see the sediment formed on the opposite side of the bottle when you open it.
* When wine bottles are stored next to one another their temperatures remain stable.

Temperature
* Store wines at a constant temperature between 40 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit (5-18 degrees Celsius); the optimum temperature is between 50 to 55 degrees.
* Wine that is stored at a high temperature can age quickly and "cook" until its fruit flavor is lost with only flat aromas and flavors left behind.
* Wine that is too cold can develop deposits or suspensions.
* A daily fluctuation in the temperature of the cellar can age the wines prematurely, evident in the sticky deposit around the capsule. This may allow the cork to shrink so oxygen seeps in, causing oxidation of the wine and damaging its quality.
* White wines are more affected by temperature problems than red wines.
* Store sparkling wines and dry whites and rosés near the floor where the temperature is cooler.
* Aged red wines and strong dessert wines can be stored higher because they are preserved by their alcohol.

Humidity
* Humidity is an important factor to consider when storing a wine for a long time, but some say that storing a bottle on its side and keeping the cork in contact with the wine eliminates the effects of external humidity.
* A relative humidity of 50 to 80 percent is acceptable, but 70 percent is preferred.
* Insufficient humidity may cause the corks to dry out and shrink so air can enter the bottle.
* Avoid excess humidity by allowing light ventilation in the cellar.

Light
* Do not allow direct sunlight in the cellar and keep the lighting dim so the wine does not prematurely age.
* Ultraviolet light can give wine unpleasant odors and ruin the taste, so incandescent or sodium vapor lights are better than fluorescent and UV lighting.
* Sparkling and white wines are the most sensitive to light.

Smells / Debris
* Keep the cellar free from smells because they can enter the bottle through the cork and contaminate the wine.
* Remove debris that could be a home to insects that would infect the cork (untreated wood, food, etc.).
* Do not store fruit, vegetables, cheeses or any other foods that are capable of fermenting near the wine.

Noise / Movement
* Vibrating machinery, heavy traffic or excessive sound disturbs the sediment of red wines and can harm other wines as well.
* Store wines in a location where you do not have to move them around to reach a specific bottle.
* Once a wine is laid down it should stay there until it is opened.