Wine is an alcoholic drink enjoyed by people all around globe. People buy wines from their nearby grocery stores and the matter of storage doesn’t arise at all. But if you don’t drink the wines within a short period of purchase, it is very essential to store it in the proper place in a proper way so that it lasts for a longer period of time. Storage is to be considered in two stages – first you need to store it before opening, and then you store the unfinished bottle after opening.
Once you buy a bottle of wine, it is better to store in a cool, dark place as the label indicates. If exposed to direct sunlight, the wine gets a foul smell. You can also wrap it in a cloth or keep it in a box to avoid the UV rays of the sun. If you have a corked wine bottle, make sure that it is stored on its sides as storing them upright can make the corks dry up, which allows air into the bottle and your wine will get spoiled.
If you plan to store the wine for more than a year, it is a must to store it in a refrigerator which does not go over 24°C. There should not be temperature variation in the wine storage area. Usually red wines suffer more from temperature related problems than white wines. Keep the wine in a place where you don’t need to move the bottle frequently. Even small vibrations caused due to motors, traffic or generators will negatively affect the quality of the wine. When considering the temperature, you also need to check the humidity of the room. Humidity should be maintained below 70%, otherwise, it will spoil the wine.
Wine needs to breathe and hence it should be kept in isolation. If you store wines with anything else that has a strong smell, the smell will enter the bottle through the cork and will taint the wine. Generally white wines should be consumed within three years of storage whereas red wines can be stored up to ten years. Hence it is important to know proper storage time of your wine. Not all wines taste good in the same temperature. The serving temperature of the wine may be different from its storage temperature. You should allow the temperature to either fall or rise to the proper serving temperature before drinking.
Once opened, red wines can be stored in a dark place with the cork properly placed, while white wines need to be stored in a refrigerator where it will stay for a maximum or five days depending on the individual wine.
Sit back and enjoy your favorite one!