Wine Team USA

Wine Information

 

Demystifying Wine Storage

Translation
Translate

Many would-be wine drinkers are put off by the idea that they have to come up with an elaborate and expensive wine storage method (along with many bottles of wine) before they can start enjoying the pastime of drinking and enjoying wine.

However, this is not the case at all. Wine can be enjoyed even if you do not have a lot of space for wine storage. Many people make do with a small corner of their kitchen, and still others simply buy a bottle or two at a time as they are needed.

Why Store Wine?

During the Roman Empire, the long-held belief that all wine should be consumed sooner rather than later was disproven. Romans stored their wine in tightly closed bottles and noticed that some wines improved in taste and complexity the longer they were allowed to age.

Most white wines do not continue to improve when aged, making them poor candidates for long-term storage and some reds are better when they are consumed as soon as you buy them. However, there are many reds that will age very nicely, making your wine storage efforts worthwhile.

Even if you do not plan to drink the wine after it is aged, buying a case of immature wine and holding on to it until it is at its optimum drinking age can be a wise investment. Many savvy wine drinkers buy a case of young wine, store it until it is aged completely, and then sell off half of the case while keeping the other half to drink. This can net a nice profit, even effectively meaning that you get half a case of wine for free.

How Do You Start A Wine Storage Effort?

You do not need to have a huge wine cellar with an entire wall of storage. If you have a temperature-controlled, dark, and moderately humid cellar that can serve as wine storage, then great! However, most people do not have this luxury.

For everyone else, there are many other wine storage options. Most wines purchased by the casual drinker will be ready-to-drink and do not require any significant amount of wine storage for the purposes of improving the taste. In fact, most ready-to-drink bottles should not be kept in wine storage for more than 8-12 months.

If you have just a few bottles, a small wine storage rack placed in your living room or in a dark closet will be sufficient. You will want to avoid having the rack in your kitchen due to the temperature fluctuations that are unavoidable around the stove and oven.

If you plan to keep a few more bottles around for a long amount of time, a popular wine storage method is a portable wine cellar. These appliances look like small "dorm" refrigerators and can be kept nearly anywhere in your home where you have room. They are climate-controlled and will keep your wine at optimum wine storage conditions.

Whichever method of wine storage appeals to you, there are a few basic factors to remember: tilt the bottles to keep the corks wet, keep the temperature somewhere between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit at all times, and above all, keep the bottles away from direct sunlight and heat.



Great Wines, Affordable Prices - 468x60

Dean & DeLuca Wine


A04 Are You Interested In Home Wine Making
Whether you're a real wine enthusiast or just some...
a04-are-you-interested-in-home-wine-making.php

A05 Joining A Wine Club
If you're a wine lover and wish that you had more time to really shop around for just the...
a05-joining-a-wine-club.php

A06 How To Read A Wine Label
When was the last time you went to a nice restaurant and ordered a bottle of expensive wine? When the ...
a06-how-to-read-a-wine-label.php

A07 Understanding The Wine Rating System
As with any rating system, there is no such thing as a universal wine rating system. Wines are rated by differe...
a07-understanding-the-wine-rating-system.php

A08 What To Expect From Wine Tasting Tours
If you're considering getting your feet wet by joining wine tasting tours, you...
a08-what-to-expect-from-wine-tasting-tours.php

A09 When You Think Fine Wines Think Argentine Wines
Chances are that not many people who love wine actually think o...
a09-when-you-think-fine-wines-think-argentine-wines.php

A10 You Must Try German Wines
It's true that for some, Germany may be better known f...
a10-you-must-try-german-wines.php

A11 Understanding Wines From The United States
Many people are surprised to find out the truth about United...
a11-understanding-wines-from-the-united-states.php

A12 There Is A Reason Why People Love Italian Wines
Making wine is probably as old as humankind itself, and one of the oldest winemaking regions in the world is ...
a12-there-is-a-reason-why-people-love-italian-wines.php

A13 French Wines Are Still Considered The Best
Anyone that loves wine is probably going to agree that French wines are some of the best in the business, if not t...
a13-french-wines-are-still-considered-the-best.php

A14 The Fine Wines Of Portugal
Portugal may not be the first country you think of when you're looking for n...
a14-the-fine-wines-of-portugal.php

A15 Matching Food And Wine Does Not Have To Be Complicated
Many new wine drinkers tend to be very nervous about the...
a15-matching-food-and-wine-does-not-have-to-be-complicated.php

A16 Dessert Wines Is The Perfect Way To End Your Meal
If you ask any group of wine enthusiasts what they t...
a16-dessert-wines-is-the-perfect-way-to-end-your-meal.php

A17 Sparkling Wines A Bubbly Additions To Any Party
Sparkling wines are a fun way to celebrate a special occasion or...
a17-sparkling-wines-a-bubbly-additions-to-any-party.php

A19 Some Surprising Facts About Australian Wines
It's true that real sommeliers don't often think Australian wines when considering the finest vineyards in the wo...
a19-some-surprising-facts-about-australian-wines.php

A20 Choosing The Right Summer Wines
There are so many things that we associate with summer - lazin...
a20-choosing-the-right-summer-wines.php

A21 Learning About Winter Wines
If you're unsure of the meaning, winter wines are th...
a21-learning-about-winter-wines.php

A22 How Do You Compare Red And White Wine
Many people with even just a basic understanding of wine know...
a22-how-do-you-compare-red-and-white-wine.php

A23 Why Not Try Some English Wines
Many people who love wine are typically surprised when one starts to talk about English wines as b...
a23-why-not-try-some-english-wines.php

A24 Exploring Greek Wines
If you've never heard of Greek wines, you must not be a real wine lover or histori...
a24-exploring-greek-wines.php

A25 The History Of Russian Wines
If there is one thing that Russia can offer to the world...
a25-the-history-of-russian-wines.php

A26 Enjoying Some Spanish Wines
Did you know that Spain is the third largest producer of wine in the world, just...
a26-enjoying-some-spanish-wines.php

A27 Learning About Turkish Wines
It is probably a rare wine drinker that walks into a fancy restaur...
a27-learning-about-turkish-wines.php

A28 Which Wine Goes With That Dish
Food pairings with wine can make some people panic. Most assume that real connoisseurs know some ...
a28-which-wine-goes-with-that-dish.php

A29 Why Join The California Wine Club
For a real wine lover there is probably nothing...
a29-why-join-the-california-wine-club.php

A30 Kosher Wines
How much do you know about kosher wines? If you're Jewish you may ...
a30-kosher-wines.php

A31 Wine Country Gift Baskets Is The Perfect Gift
If you're looking for the perfect gift for someone's graduation, get well wishes, birthday, or any other occasion,...
a31-wine-country-gift-baskets-is-the-perfect-gift.php

A32 Choosing The Right Wine Goblets
Whether as a gift to someone else or as a gift to yours...
a32-choosing-the-right-wine-goblets.php

A33 Joining A Wine Of The Month Club
If you're trying to pick the best wine of t...
a33-joining-a-wine-of-the-month-club.php

Google
 

Site Menu

 

More Articles

  AddThis Social Bookmark Button




My Wines Direct Gift Baskets - 120x240

 

Site Meter