You have yet to pass that coveted sommelier course, but you enjoy wine. You want to start storing more bottles of different qualities at home, but aren’t sure what the best way to store them would be. Whether you are storing wine in a hot and dry climate or an area known for its chilly winters, these four tips will help you perfect your own at home storage.
1. Keep it cool. Many people keep their wine in a cellar or basement to protect it from heat and light. If you are storing wine los angeles ca then you may not have a cellar as an option. Finding a dark closet or even investing in a wine refrigerator might be the best choices. Absolutely have a thermometer on hand for measuring the temperature in the area that you are storing wine. Experts recommend storing your wine at 55° F.
Excess heat can potentially ruin your wine but there is not an exact formula for what the temperature or duration of the exposure is going to ruin the wine. Variations of a few degrees through out the day should not be a problem for most wines however making sure you are able to track the temperature of your home storage will allow you to keep your wine collection safe.
2. Store your wine upright, or on its side, whichever you prefer. The old advice was that if the wine was topped with a cork, a simple yet amazing device in and of itself, then the bottle should be kept on its side to keep the cork moist and prevent oxidation. However, overtime the cork can actually be structurally weakened by the wine. This may lessen the efficacy of the cork in protecting the wine over time. There are many great reasons to store wine on its side such as making storage more efficient, but keeping a bottle upright may be just as suitable.
3. Keep it simple. Many people go to great lengths to protect their coveted home collection of wine and if you have the knowledge and means, that can be wonderful. However, many wine professionals are not nearly as protective of the bottles they keep at home. If you are not investing hundreds of dollars into bottles that you plan to store across multiple decades, there are simple solutions available to you. Find a dark, and fairly cool spot such as in a closet to set up shelving. Then, store your wine in Styrofoam wine shippers and you are all set.
4. Know when to upgrade your wine storage. The previous tips are good for people just starting out with their at home storage. You also need to know when it’s time to take your storage to the next level. Do you own any bottles that cost more than $100? Do you plan to keep any bottles in storage for more than 2-3 years? These bottles will likely need more protection than a $20 bottle that will be gone at a party the next day. Humidity, temperature, light control, and space for storage are all things you will need to consider when your wine storage turns into a serious collection.