For most of us, storing wine is not much of a problem. We are consuming the wines we purchase and have no need to find a place to store them. But for those who are stocking up, there are some big do’s and don’ts for keeping wine.
The first big DON’T is to keep wines out of the kitchen! The biggest enemy for a wonderful bottle of wine is heat, light and big swings in the room temperature.
Wines that are allowed to heat to temperatures higher than 75 to 80 degrees for an extended time will find that the wines simply no longer taste good. Some of our favorites are the most damaged by heat, such as Pinot Noirs, the sweet reds.
Once temperatures go above 80 degrees, wines start to cook. That means that a wine kept in a kitchen over the summer, stored in the trunk ofa car will start to taste sour or like prunes. Extreme heat will also damage bottle corks. The heat causes the cork to begin to rise in the bottle and this means that the airtight seal will break. Wine may leak from these damaged bottles, but air is also getting into the bottle. Over oxidizing wines make them taste flat or like apple cider.
Best Places for Bottles of Wine do not necessarily mean building a wine cellar! In fact, any place out of the way, dark and with some temperature control will work. This could be in a closet, under your bed or in a basement. Some wine lovers will put their decorative wine racks inside a closet to create safe inexpensive storage.
And remember that you don’t want to stock up on too much wine. Frequently the very best time to drink it is right when you buy it or receive it as a gift. Avoid waiting for that perfect special occasion! Pick a wine! Open it up and find a comfy place to enjoy! Cheers!