Learning how to correctly store wine can help prevent damage as well as enhance the flavors and complexity of your wine. Improper storage practices may hinder the wine’s aging process and take away from its taste and rich experience. Whether you’re into cabernet sauvignon or pinot grigio, here’s how to store your wine the right way.
(Above all, though, we still firmly believe the best way to store a bottle of wine is to simply finish it.)
How to Store Wine: The Basics
No matter what kind of wine you’re drinking, white or red, opened or unopened, it’s important to keep in mind the following:
- Keep wine at a constant temperature: Varying temperatures speed up the wine’s aging process and affect its taste. This is why you’ll find that most wine cellars and fridges are temperature-controlled. At home, try to avoid storing wine in the kitchen and wash or laundry rooms since the humidity tends to fluctuate in these areas of the home.
- Store wine on its side: In order to avoid “corked” wine, you’ll want to store all wine on its side. When the bottle is on its side, it is constantly in contact with the cork of the bottle, maintaining its moisture. Opened red wine is the exception to this rule.
- Do not stand your wine upright: When the bottle stands upright, the cork does not come in contact with the wine and is eventually dried out. Of course, it’s fine to store wine on tabletops for a few days or so, but we would not suggest longer than that.
In general, you will want to keep any type of wine out of direct sunlight and heat. UV rays prematurely age wine, which is why most wine bottles are tinted. The tinted glass creates a barrier between the sunlight and the wine. Again, you’ll notice that cellars are not only temperature control, but also dark.
The top of a kitchen fridge is a popular spot for folks to store their wine, though it’s not recommended. The top of a fridge usually emits heat throughout the day and is within close proximity to the ceiling lights, which can affect the aging process.
Lastly, you will want to stay clear of any vibrations, such as washer machines, dryers, dishwashers, workout machines, stereos, etc. The vibrations from these types of machines may disturb the wine’s aging process and flavor.
Storing Unopened Red Wine
Unopened red wine is commonly stored at around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This is generally colder than room temperature and should be stored in a cellar or wine refrigerator. Another important factor when it comes to storing unopened red wine is maintaining the proper amount of humidity. The ideal humidity for this type of wine is about 70%, but anything hovering between 55%-80% is still favorable.
A benefit of unopened red wine is that it tends to age gracefully and is still considered good 2-3 years past its expiration date. However, for cheaper bottles of wine, we do not suggest waiting that long. For most cheap bottles of wine, the sooner it’s consumed the better.
Storing Opened Red Wine
Once a bottle of red wine is open, its shelf life must be preserved. When enough oxygen reaches the red wine, it turns into vinegar. The key here is to reduce the amount of oxygen exposed to the opened bottle of red wine. To do this, you’ll want to recork the bottle after each pour or glass of wine. Additionally, you may want to purchase a device like a vacuum pump, which reduces the amount of oxygen stored in the bottle.
Storing Unopened White Wine
Unopened white wines do not age as gracefully as unopened red wines and are meant to be consumed within 2 years of their purchase. Since white wines are best stored at a temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit, regular kitchen refrigerators are a bit too cold for white wine storage. When white wine is stored at a colder temperature its flavors are slowly affected and eventually, the wine is left flat and flavorless. Because of this, it’s best to store white wine in a temperature-controlled fridge.
Storing Opened White Wine
As previously mentioned, white wine does not age as well as red wine. Though it’s more susceptible to expiration, white wine has similar storage guidelines as red wine. You’ll want to avoid exposing the bottle of opened white wine to heat, sunlight, and vibration. You should also check to see if the wine is a shelf wine or a premium vintage. When the wine is a shelf wine, it’s meant to be consumed relatively soon. When a wine is a premium vintage, it’s aged more slowly over time, and therefore has a different shelf life than that of a shelf wine.
Buy Your Wine at Grizzly Liquor
Our store is much more than liquor! We carry a wide range of varietals from all over the world guaranteed to suit your tastes. Browse our full selection of wines online and if you order online we will have it ready to go when you stop in. We also deliver to local Missoula addresses!
