Storing wine is the topic for this installment of our wine guide...
A simple method of wine storage is to keep your bottles sideways in a dark place away from heat or light. If you do this, youll be able to keep your wine for longer because the flavors won't be damaged. Still, learning a bit more about wine storage can help you maximize your wines quality.
When it comes to preserving wine, temperature is the thing that makes the most difference. Wine should normally be stored between 50-60F, although a range of 45-65F is considered OK. A temperature below the ideal range will prevent your wine from aging correctly. Whereas, warmer temperatures can cause wine to age prematurely (not in a good way).
Fluctuating temperatures hurt wines the most. As bad as it is, a steady temperature in extreme heat or cold is much better than constantly varying temperatures, even if the change is within the ideal range. The temperature should never fluctuate more than 5 degrees a day; this is especially important for red wines, which can be more damaged than whites from fluctuations.
Humidity is also important as, unless its properly maintained, it can cause the cork to dry out, and this allows air to come into contact with the wine (which damages it). Try to keep your storage areas humidity level at around 70 to 80 percent, you can buy a hygrometer to keep track of this.
A wine cellar is the ideal place for storing wine because it maintains the optimal humidity and temperature; however, they aren't practical for most people because of their size and cost. However, you can mimic the conditions of a wine cellar in a basement or garage. Just install a wine rack in one of these locations and include a thermometer and and temperature / humidity guage to keep track of conditions.
As for how long to store it for, this depends on the type of wine, the region the wine was made in, the technique used to make it, and the particular year the grapes were harvested in. However, as a general guideline, whites normally do not age for long, while reds age for 5-10 years. If you're starting out, aging charts (which are available free online) can help you see when a wine is typically best enjoyed.
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