How to Store a Wine: 5 Tips for the Freshest Pour


Tuesday December 20, 2016

There’s nothing better than coming home after a grueling day and popping open a fresh bottle of Red for some R&R. But wait – the taste has gone flat, the aroma is dulled; how can this be? If your wine is currently not being stored properly you may run into these issues and more.

Don’t fret; we’re here to uncork the solution to your worst nightmare. So whether you are at home watching the next episode of “Whine About It” or if you’re a new business with a fine collection of wine, these helpful tips will ensure you have the freshest pours.

How to Store a Wine

1. Not too Hot, Not too Cold

It’s no secret that Houston weather is ever-changing and can reach blazing heats in the summer. Temperature is one of the key components to storing
your wine correctly. The ideal temperature range is between 45° F and 65° F. Any hotter and your wine will lose its crisp sensuous aromas and taste; any lower and you may dry out your cork allowing outside air to get in. Fluctuating temperature can also result in issues for your collection. Those 80° F Houston Christmases could cause your wine to expand and contract, eventually creating outflow.

2. Don’t Sweat It

Alongside temperature control is monitoring humidity levels. Keeping your storage between 50 percent and 80 percent is ideal. If you are using a basement or an outdoor storage unit you can purchase a Temperature Humidity Gauge or a dehumidifier. Wine vaults can also accurately track these levels for you and have many other benefits to wine storage.

3. It’s All About the Lean

You may have thought people stack their wine on its side just to look like a connoisseur, but there are actually benefits to this practice. By storing
your wine horizontally, the fluid will assist in keeping your cork from drying out; which as we learned before can be very bad. When you go in to your cellar to admire your beautiful collection give them a little love and rotate the bottles to prevent sediment from settling on one side. You may discover a long lost Cabernet that your pallet has been missing. Who says storing can’t be fun?!

4. The Darker the Better

Light affects all types of wine differently: the color of your wine, natural light and fluorescent, and even the color of your bottle are all aspects to consider. For more information check out this published brief by The Australian Wine Research Institute on the effects of light on wine during storage. If you’re thinking “That seems like a lot of factors to consider”, then we agree. A good rule of thumb is to just keep all of your wine in a dry dark place.

5. Time Out! The Isolation Factor

Now that your wine is in a dark, temperature controlled space we need to make sure it is being stored alone. Odors from other foods or perishables can creep their way into your delectable bottles of wine causing distaste. Although garlic and Merlot contain benefits for heart health, the two flavors in one bottle is not what the doctor ordered.

And there you have it! Whether you are a casual wine drinker or an esteemed connoisseur these tips are sure to benefit your storage needs. It may seem cruel to keep your precious wine isolated in a cool, dark place but don’t worry; your wine and taste buds will thank you for it later.

Try Wine Storage

If you are finding that these tips could undeniably benefit your wine storage, but a wine cabinet throws off your trendy condo’s Feng Shui or your hip Heights restaurant is lacking a basement: check out some of these Houston wine storage units. You can’t beat having your wine collection stored for you under flawless conditions with professionals on site to give you tailored advice.

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