WINE Tips, Info and Guide

If wines are stored incorrectly, the subtle flavours and aromas that characterise them may be spoiled. Knowing the correct way to cellar wine will help you preserve it in optimum condition and allow the wine to develop to its full potential.

Store bottles on their side

Store wines horizontally on their side so the wine is in contact with the cork. This will keep the cork wet. If the cork dries out it will shrink and air will get to your wine. Air is the greatest enemy of a good wine and will turn it into vinegar. Store it with the label up so that you can easily see what the wine is. The sediment that forms in a good wine will form on the opposite side to the label. You can see how heavy it is when the time comes to open the bottle and decide to decant it or serve it from the bottle, and the label is less likely to be damaged. Sparkling wines can be stored upright. The carbon dioxide naturally produced in the wine will form a layer in the neck and protect the wine from contact with the air. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and will sit on top of the wine.

Store wine where the temperature is cool and constant

Wines is best stored at temperatures of 12-16 degrees Centigrade. However, any temperature between 5-18C is acceptable so long as the temperature stays constant. A gradual change of a few degrees between summer and winter won't matter, but the same change each day will age your wines more rapidly and harm them. The most important rule when storing wine is to avoid large temperature changes or fluctuations. Over time the continual expansion and contraction of the wine will damage the integrity'of the cork. Air can seep in and begin the irreversible process of oxidation which will ruin your wine. White wines are affected far more by temperature than red wines. You can generally recognize a heat damaged wine by its colour. A brick red brown colour, especially in a young wine can be an indicator of oxidation damage due to heat. Since Sherry is an oxidised wine, another indicator of heat damage in wines is a sherry-like taste.

Store wine where relative humidity is between 50-80%

Low humidity will cause a cork to dry out and lose its elasticity and allow air to get into the bottle. This will happen even if the bottle is stored on its side. A very easy way to increase the humidity in a confined space is to leave out a bucket of water. This will naturally evaporate and raise the humidity. Excessive humidity will not harm the wine but may cause the labels to rot. Moderate humidity is important to keep the cork in good resilient condition and prevent it shrinking. A relative humidity of 50-80% is an acceptable range with about 70% recommended.

Light will prematurely age a bottle of wine. Ultraviolet light will damage wine by causing the degradation of the otherwise stable organic compounds that contribute to the aroma, flavour and structure of the wine. Without them your wine would be flat and thin. Sparkling wines are more sensitive to light than other wines. Incandescent or sodium vapour lights are better for a cellar than fluorescent lighting, as fluorescent lights give off significant amounts of UV light.

In general

Pick a location for you wine cellar very carefully and try and keep it away from an outside wall such as a cupboard or a spot under a staircase in the centre of the house. This will give you the greatest chance of keeping your wines at a stable temperature. The temperature is the single most important thing you can control to help age your wines properly. There are dozens of temperature controlled wine cabinets on the market and they all do a great job, so if you are serious about your wine you should aim to get one - it is a worthwhile long-term investment.

By Ian Love

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