How to Store Wine

No matter how big or small your collection, all wine lovers can benefit from a good understanding of how to store wine properly. Inexpensive and collectible bottles both need proper storage to ensure they stay at their best, for you to enjoy them to the fullest. Knowing how to store wine is essential to preserve the flavor - even if you just plan to finish the bottle!

This helpful guide to storing wine will help ensure that the next time you’re longing for a glass of your favorite tipple, it’s as delicious as you imagined.

Find the Perfect Spot

This is your chance to think about how big your collection is going to be, and where it should sit in your home. With careful consideration, you’ll be able to create an elegant and suitable space to store your bottles.

Consider a Kitchen or Cellar Solution

Perhaps you would like to create a small space in your kitchen dedicated to your wine collection, or have always dreamed of building a wine cellar in the basement. Don’t forget, your bottles should be kept in the dark, to avoid being “lightstruck” - a process that spoils the flavor.

Once you have thought about your current needs and future goals, you’ll have a better idea of the aesthetic you prefer and the space available for the purpose of wine storage.

Create a Dedicated Setting

Tidy the area you have chosen and consider what else will be kept near your bottles. Keep wine in a clean space away from other food or cleaning products – strong smells can taint the flavor.

Choose a Wine Rack

Finding the right wine rack can turn a series of stray bottles into a collection. Your wine no longer needs to fit into your fridge, crowd your kitchen cupboards or stay sitting on the countertops.

Consider all your options – metal wine racks, wooden wine racks, floor-to-ceiling wine kits and more.

Metal Wine Racks

Wooden Wine Racks

Floor-to-Ceiling Wine Kits

Lay Wine Bottles Horizontally

Wine racks are specially designed to keep your wine in the perfect position; usually laying down to keep the cork wet. When standing upright the cork can dry out, which in turn can let air into the bottles and alter the taste of your wine.

Wine racks keep your bottles safe, organized, and looking their best. They’re the best solution for long-term wine storage.

Consider a Wine Cooler

A wine cooler can keep your bottles at the best temperature for storing wine year-round. No matter how stable a climate you live in, your bottles can benefit from greater consistency. 45-65 degrees is the perfect temperature for most wines. If wine freezes, the bottle may crack. If it gets too hot, the flavor will spoil.

Note: Wine Refrigerators are usually set at 35-38 degrees, a much colder temperature than desired to store wine long term. However, once the bottle is open, this is the best place to keep it.

Control the Humidity

Consistent humidity is almost as important as regulating the temperature when it comes to storing wine. Aim for approximately 60% humidity to avoid the cork drying out, or mold growth.

Enjoy Your Wine Before the Expiration Date

Make sure you get to taste your wine while it’s at its best; contrary to popular belief, most wine does not improve with age. The majority of wines should be enjoyed within a year or two, with red wine typically lasting slightly longer than white. If you’d like to keep a bottle for years to come, do some research into wine that ages well.

Find the Wine Storage Solution for You

Find the perfect wine rack to elevate your bottles and create the cellar of your dreams; browse traditional wooden and contemporary metal wine racks for every style. Wondering how to store wine in your own unique home? Get in touch for a free, custom wine cellar design from our experts.