Wine Storage Solutions: Are You a Wine Connoisseur
How many serious wine drinkers do we have out there? Do you consider yourself a wine connoisseur? Are you a casual wine drinker who likes to have some on hand for when you are entertaining? Or are you more of a wine collector?
Whichever category you fit into, how many of you actually feel you have a proper place to store you wine? I know I don’t. Like most food and drinks, there is a proper way to store wine. Whether you have a wine cellar, or keep yours in the fridge or the cabinet, it’s best to store in a way that allows it to mature and improve its aroma and flavor.
It is important for the wine bottle to be stored in such a way that the wine is in contact with the cork. This creates a good air seal for the bottle and prevents immediate aging of the wine.
It is also important that the temperature of the bottle be consistent. If the temperature changes, it can affect the organic components in the wine. Temperature changes can also cause the cork to shrink or expand.
Humidity control is also very important when storing wine. The relative humidity of the area it is being stored should be between 55-80%, with 65% being the optimal degree. Low humidity levels cause the cork to dry out. Wine can then seep into the cork. Higher humidity levels can cause mold.
One last factor to consider when storing wine is that it not sitting out where there might be ultraviolet light. This can cause premature aging of the wine. It is best to store wine in the dark, especially when the bottle is in clear or pale glass bottles.
When trying to figure out if you need to purchase something to store your wine in, you need to figure out your reasons for buying or collecting wine? Are you drinking soon? Saving for a special occasion? To have on hand for frequent entertaining? Or keeping it as an investment.
Here is a great site that will help you determine what kind of wine storage you really need: http://www.kingsbottle.com
Feel free to read my disclosure here.