How To Store Wine

Let’s face it, wine cellars are impressive. They’re definitely a distinctive feature for any home, and they can really come in handy if you want to invest in a collection of wine. Whether you have a casual relationship with the finest wine or just any wine you can grab from the store, you’ll benefit from a fully stocked and functional wine cellar.

Harkraft creates beautiful storage facilities based on your specifications. Whatever your house’s dimensions, quirks or angles may be, they can design the right structure for you. If you’re looking for the perfect venue to entertain then Harkraft can create a unique space for your wine tastings, As an added benefit, it will also up the resale value of your home and allow your wines to be easily organized by varietal and brand.

If Harkraft’s going to take the time to install a luxury space in your home, you should take the time to learn the best ways on how to store wine so you can make the most of it. If you’re buying Charles Shaw and leaving it in your car for hours at a time, then now might be the time to get a grip on the kinds of wines you’re buying and your storage methods.  So let’s get started–here’s your guide on how to store wine!

Don’t Let Your Wine Be Blinded By the Light

Work with the dark-colored glass that gives your fermented grapes a home, and keep the wine away from direct light. You’re better off drinking boxed wines than you are drinking wine that has been overly exposed to rays in a clear or extremely light-colored bottle. Cellars are synonymous with dark places, so they are perfect to keep away both natural and artificial light.

Keep Your Corks Tight

Humidity is essential so your corks don’t dry out, but those who make recommendations on how to do this use mainly anecdotal evidence. Keeping your humidity around 70-75% is probably a good bet to prevent oxygen from entering into the bottle, though you could argue anywhere from 50-85%. The coolness of refrigerators are recommended to keep wine fresh for up to a few months, but remember the air in there is fairly dry. If you do invest in a cellar, then you’ll have an excellent way to control your humidity. And if you feel your cellar is going the other way and the air is becoming too moist, then consider purchasing a dehumidifier as your cellar may become susceptible to mold.

Do Your Homework

If you’re thinking that all wines can improve over time because the flavors have the chance to mingle together and enrich the flavor, then think again. There’s a reason why everyone you know isn’t going out and storing all the wine they buy for years on end: most wine isn’t meant for keeping long-term. It’s meant to be enjoyed as soon as you purchase it. At most, you can probably go up to 12 months without seeing any type of change in the quality of your wine, but normally that quality will decrease after that with the majority of wines you buy today.

Wine is an exploding trend in the market today, and its popularity has attracted a lot of people into the business. Of course, you should never discount the power of fads, but buying the right kinds of wine today could really pay off in the future. Talk to sommeliers and research on the internet which are the best types of wine for storing over long periods of time. Certain kinds of wines from Italy, France and even California all can improve provided they have the right storage conditions.

Stay Cool

Controlling the temperature of your cellar can be the difference between a fully developed bouquet and a mouthful of swill. Some wines are more robust and hold up better under extreme conditions than the delicate wines which are do very poorly under fluctuating temperatures. If you’re unsure on how to store wine, temperature plays a huge role – your bottles need to be stored at the proper temperature (around 55 degrees Fahrenheit). Whether you’re buying champagne, white or red wine, they have the tools to keep everything safe.

Stay Calm

Keep the wine on its side, and know which bottles are where so you don’t have to search for them. The more motion, the more likely the contents will be disrupted and ultimately ruin the wine.

Stay Collected

Corks can never keep everything out. There are tiny passageways for odors and air to enter your expensive collection. If you have minor water damage in your basement or anything of that sort then you’ll want to try to clear everything up as soon as possible. Both the ventilation of wines and vibrations aren’t likely to cause the wine to go bad without dry both corks and huge amounts of exposure, but it’s a good rule of thumb to leave the bottles alone as much as possible.

You might want a cellar to collect, make money, or throw a party. Whatever the reason and whatever you’re buying, Harkraft can work with you and your home to install a cellar. If you’re not planning to invest, then at least you now know how to store wine, so you can buy plenty and always have plenty of wine on hand whenever you want to celebrate.

Read our other blog post to find out more about storing cheap wine and expensive wine!