Innovative Ways of Storing Wine

Wine is one beverage that is part of so many cultures. Hardly can people have festivities without it. In some cases, it is part of the last course of a meal or a nightcap. This article is about Innovative Ways of Storing Wine.

In days gone by, wealthy homes and residences of nobility usually had what’s known as underground wine cellars. These were the places where these precious beverages were stored. It was not unusual for find bottles bequeathed from one generation to the next. 

How were they able to preserve both the containers and the contents to last those many years? This would be the primary focus of our discourse today and we’ll also throw in some bonus tips on how to stock your collection with the best labels. 

Why Have A Wine Collection? 

One may wonder why the fuss about a wine collection, talk much of proper storage. From the days of old, it has always been a symbol of class and status. The higher the quality of the brew you owned and served to your guests, the higher you were esteemed. 

It is not much different today. Although it is not only found in palaces or homes of nobility, it still represents class and luxury. Hardly would you find an average person who is struggling to make ends meet thinking of having a wine collection. 

It is considered a thing for the ‘boujee’.  People, who are concerned about status and political correctness, ensure that they know which wine goes with which food. And then they go ahead to stock their homes with notable labels to serve at the right time/occasion. 

So one way of showing that you have come up in life is to start collecting the fine things of life and learn the art of fine living. One of such fine thing is good wine. But if you do not know how to stock your home collection or choose the right label or type at dinner, you do not have to panic. There are many resources that can help brush you up. 

Watch this video to start you out on your journey to fine living: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkRFd5a88D8

Tips For Proper Wine Storage 

Now that you have started a collection of sparkly bubblies and exotic brews, you need to store them properly. We know that not everyone knows how to do this and that is why we are sharing the following tips: –

Store At The Right Temperature 

Temperature has been noted as perhaps the most important factor that affects the proper storage of wine. Too warm or too cold temperatures are sure to spoil it in storage. The recommended temperature for whether short term or long term storage is around 13 ºC (55ºF). This however, varies from one brand to the next. That is why it is ideal to ask the manufacturer the recommended temperature of storage for their brand. 

That being said however, note that no matter the type or brand, wine must never be stored in freezing temperature; that’s anything below 4ºC (25 °F). Neither should it be kept at anything higher than 20°C (68°F).  This is because it would speed up the process of aging and destroy the changeable compounds. 

Even when you keep the wine at the right temperature, you have to ensure that the temperature is stable. If the temperature keeps fluctuating, it can make the cork (cover) of the bottle to expand or decrease. This will allow air to enter the bottle or allow the contents to spill out. 

Keep The Bottles Horizontal 

The positions in which you keep the bottles also affect the cork. Leaving them lying flat would help the corks to remain moist; which means that the cork would maintain its size (it would neither expand nor contract). This is an important factor in preventing premature aging or spilling of its content. 

You may wonder how positioning affect bottles with screw top. Well, it helps to save space and also make the bottle easily accessible. 

Keep The Bottles Away From Vibration and Light 

Rays from direct sunlight can adversely affect the aromas and flavours of wine. So it is expedient that you keep the bottles away from direct sunlight. Another thing to avoid is vibration; this means keeping them away from household appliances that vibrate. An example is a washer or home theatre. 

This is because the sediments in the bottle can be disturbed by vibration which would in turn disrupt the fragile process of aging for the brew. 

Store At The Right Humidity 

Extreme humidity in storage area can affect the longevity of the wine. If the humidity is too low, the cork would dry out and leave the contents susceptible to oxygen. High humidity on the other hand can make the labels to peel off. This makes it difficult to identify the type or brand and also make it hard to display. 

For these reasons, the best humidity for storage areas should be between 60-68%.

Keep Wine in A Specialized Fridge 

Some people make the mistake of storing wine in a regular fridge. This shouldn’t be so; your precious brew should be stored in a wine fridge. Regular fridge keeps its content cold and dry but a wine fridge keeps its content at the right temperature and humidity. 

Another reason for keeping your wine in a specialized fridge would be to avoid cross contamination (odors) from other food. 

Store Properly After Opening 

When you open a bottle of wine, it can last between 3 and 5 days. If you want to extend the shelf life of an opened bottle, ensure that the cork is properly replaced. When you replace it tightly and securely, it ensures that the contents would remain intact in quality. 

If the cork is broken or splintered, you can find a rubber bottle stopper that would be a tight fit. 

Use Appropriate Storage For Your Space

When selecting the right storage to use, it is expedient that you evaluate the kind of space that you have. Not many people have the space or square footage in their homes to be able to have a wine cellar or a room dedicated to storage of their precious bottles. 

It is for this reason that many innovative methods such as cable wine systems are designed to enhance proper wine storage. There are many apparatuses/ designs that you can use to store your collection. (neworleansathleticclub) From traditional storage to contemporary storage; there are many options to choose from. 

Note that not all storage type is good for your space, so you must find the right one. This brings us to our final point which is about choosing the right storage system for your space. 

Factors to Consider When Choosing A Storage Design For Your Collection

There are several factors to consider when choosing the type of storage you would use for your wine collection and they include the following:- 

Available Space

You cannot just go off and get a storage rack or cabinet for your collection. It is important that you check out the space you want to designate to it. You also have to bear all the factors that we discussed in mind; especially, temperature, humidity and sunlight. 

These factors would enable you to determine the best spot for the storage and also the best design (this includes dimensions too)

Quality Of Materials Used

When you have settled the issue of space, the next thing to look at is the quality of materials used. Whether you want a rack or cabinet made of wood, stainless steel or brass, you must ensure that the material is of the highest quality. 

The quality of the materials used affects a lot about the product. It affects its durability as well as functionality. The storage system would be able to hold the weight of the bottles without caving in or breaking. It would also last long. 

Functionality and Versatility

The storage design that you choose must be functional and versatile. This means that it must be able to deliver on the primary purpose and even go beyond it. You must choose a design that would house any type of shape and size of bottle. This means you would not be limited to any type or label of wine. 

It should also be able to allow you add more space if your collection increases, or remove some spaces if your collection decreases.  Additionally, it should have room for you to arrange your bottles anyhow you want them (this is mostly in terms of spacing). 

Design

It goes without saying that you should look for a design that fits the décor of your space. Your wine collection should not detract from the ambience of your space but rather add to it. 

Benefits of Having a Proper Wine Storage System 

Since we can’t all have a traditional wine cellar in our homes, we can at least have the right storage system. There are many benefits to having one but we would just give a brief summary of these benefits. They are as follows:- 

1. It helps you organize your collection properly. 
2. You can conveniently store your bottles by brand or type and then it is easily accessible. 
3. A proper wine storage system adds some class to your space. 
4. It helps to preserve the labels on the bottles and also the corks. This is in turn enhances longevity of the contents. 
5. A proper storage system, especially a rack is space efficient and easy to use. More so, it doesn’t require much construction compared to a proper wine cellar. 

If you are wondering why you should go to all the trouble of having a wine collection, let alone organizing it, then you need to read this article. 

Conclusion

This article has been all about wine storage. We’ve also thrown in a video about how to start a collection.  So if you are thinking about becoming a wine enthusiast, the info shared here would come in handy.