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Imagine buying a fine wine for a very special occasion in the not too near future. And when you finally uncork it after years of anticipation - it just tastes terrible. To avoid this scenario, there are a few things to consider when storing wine. The most important keywords here are temperature, humidity, brightness, storage location and position of the bottle.
Not every wine can be stored
Mind you: This is not about wines that you come across when shopping in the discounter. As long as you don't keep them in direct sunlight or in the freezer and drink them soon after buying them, you don't have to worry about storage. Many high-quality wines are also intended for young enjoyment and should be kept for a maximum of two to three years. Only three to ten percent of current wines benefit from a long storage time.
Whether and how long a wine can be stored depends, among other things, on the age of the vines, the bottle size and the tannin and acidity. In some cases, you will find information on the shelf life on the label, which you can use as a guide.
Wine loves constant coolness
The greatest enemy of wine is too high a temperature. It matures too quickly from 21 ° C. If the temperatures are above 25 ° C for a long time, the taste and aroma suffer. The perfect storage temperature is 12 to 13 ° C, whereby temperatures between 7 and 18 ° C are still considered optimal.
It is important that the temperature in the storage room remains as constant as possible. A change between warm in summer and cold in winter is not good for the grape juices. If a cellar with a constant temperature is not available, you can easily store your wine in the refrigerator for a few months and thus bridge the warmer months of the year.
Neither too dry nor too damp
For a long time it was said that the humidity in wine storage facilities should not be below 70 percent. Air that is too dry could dry out the cork. This could cause too much air to enter the bottle and cause the wine to oxidize. Today, a humidity of 50 to 80 percent is considered ideal. It shouldn't be any wetter, otherwise there is a risk of mold growth on the cork.
UV light is harmful to wine
Light, especially the UV rays of the natural light spectrum, can cause the wine to ripen too quickly. It is not without reason that wines have been bottled in colored bottles for centuries. These work like a blackout. Artificial light does not harm the wine as long as you do not permanently illuminate your wine store.
Store standing or lying down?
Most of the storable wines are still closed with natural corks. Horizontal storage is advisable so that these do not dry out. Crying with screw caps does not matter the position.
Avoid odor-intensive places
The ideal storage location for wine is a completely underground cellar. If you keep it away from heat sources, you can also easily store wine in a storage room or a normal living room for years. However, you should not store it in the kitchen, pantry or laundry room, as wine can take on the aromas of the surroundings.