Maintaining proper wine storage is critical for maintaining its quality, taste and aging potential. If you are a serious wine connoisseur, or just enjoy a good bottle of wine, then properly storing and handling your favorite wine is very important.
The basic enemies, from a preservation standpoint, of a bottle of wine are temperature, humidity, and light. A wine cooler, also known as a wine refrigerator or a wine chiller, offers a great defense against these elements and enables a wine enthusiast to preserve and properly store and maintain wine. The basic tools of a wine cooler consist of wine racks or shelves, temperature & humidity controls, and dark or tempered glass.
Here is s a list of the 5 top tips for properly storing a wine bottle and maintaining a wine’s aging potential and taste.
- Wine Storage Temperature
Maintaining an even optimal temperature and avoiding large temperature swings are probably the most important factor in achieving proper wine storage.
Temperature is by far the most important factor that influences a wine’s aging and storage potential. Wine needs a constant temperature to mature and or maintain its taste. Warm or fluctuating temperatures can cause wine to prematurely age and spoil. Wine should normally be stored between about 50 degrees - 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees - 15 degrees Celsius), although a range of 45 degrees - 65 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees - 18 degrees Celsius) is considered acceptable and is most easily maintained by the typical wine collector. 55 degrees Fahrenheit is generally accepted to be the ideal long term storage temperature for wine.
Wine CoolersGuide.com’s wine storage and wine aging temperature calculator can calculate the dramatic impact of varying temperatures on a wine’s aging. For example, using the wine storage and wine aging temperature calculator, a typical Pinot Noir, stored at 55 degrees Fahrenheit can be stored for 2 to 8 years. However, if the same Pinot Noir is stored at 70 degrees Fahrenheit the optimal storage time can shrink down to 4.5 months to about 1.5 years.
- Humidity
Storage humidity levels should ideally be within a range of 50-70%. This humidity level lessens the chances of cork shrinkage. Excess cork shrinkage could allow oxygen to enter the bottle, causing oxidation and which in turn causes wine to develop the unfortunately familiar acidic, vinegar taste. Wine that tastes bitter or vinegary is typically the result of wine oxidation. A wine cooler or wine refrigerator will maintain the proper humidity levels required.
- Wine Storage Angle
Improper storage temperatures, humidity and plain old age can cause wine corks to deteriorate. High humidity levels can cause mold growth, which can weaken the cork. Too low a humidity level (like levels maintained in a kitchen refrigerator) may cause the cork to dry and crumble allowing air and into the wine bottle.
When wine is stored on its side, the cork maintains contact with the wine, remains moist and helps prevent premature cork drying. Conversely, wine bottles stored upright eventually dry out the cork, let oxygen into the bottle and cause chemical reactions in the wine which eventually spoil it. A wine fridge’s shelves provide the proper angles to store wine.
- Vibration
There are differences of opinion regarding vibrations’ impact on wine storage and aging. Most people believe that excessive and or constant vibrations can disrupt the natural settling of sediment at the bottom of the wine bottle. Constant vibrations could disperse sediment hard enough so that the vibrations produce fine sediment particles that remain in the wine body and do not settle at the bottle’s bottom. Fine sediment in wine can affect flavor and taste.
- Natural Light
Ultraviolet (UV) light can damage wine by initiating chemical reactions within the wine and causing degradation to the wine’s otherwise stable organic compounds. Studies have shown that dark amber bottles can block up to 90% of harmful light but green and clear glass bottles only block about 50% and 10%, respectively, of harmful light. Wine stored in a dark place, such as a wine cooler, prevents UV light from reaching and damaging it. Studies have shown that the artificial light from LED’s inside of wine coolers do not have enough power or emissions to impact wine’s aging process.
Published 9/5/2009 12:00:00 AM
Tags: Temperature, Humidity, Wine Aging, Wine Storage