Understanding proper wine storage helps determine the wine rack or wine cabinet that’s right for you.

Store Wine Horizontally

When it comes to storing wine, let it lie. Whether white or red wine, select a wine rack or wine cabinet that accommodates the bottles of wine lying on their side. This allows the cork to maintain moisture and the sediment to collect on the bottom of the bottle.

Showcase Your Handsome Wine Rack or Wine Cabinet

Of course, you will want to display your new, beautiful wine rack or wine cabinet in a prominent place in the home. But when selecting the location of your focal point, keep two key environmental factors in mind: light and temperature.

Protect Wine from Light

Craftsman Wine Storage Cabinet Avoid exposure to direct sunlight. Even if it isn’t warming your wine bottle to the touch, direct sunlight can be detrimental to your wine. This exposure will result in a change or loss in the flavor. If you have your heart set on displaying your wine in a sunny room, there are many wine cabinets or wine storage rack that can help reduce the exposure to direct sunlight.

Control the Wine’s Temperature

Keep things cool. Ideally, you want to store your wine between 55 and 57ºF. Why? Heat affects the aging of wine by maturing it faster. If the wine matures too quickly, the fruit will develop a different taste and possibly lose its flavor.

Unable to keep things cool, but still want to store and display your wine? We have a solution for you. Don’t aim for long-term storage if warmer temperatures are unavoidable. Select and store wine you plan to enjoy in six months or less. And be sure to chill both red and white wines before serving. Even a red wine should be brought down from room temperature to 60 degrees before serving.

The Best Places to House Your Wine Rack or Wine Cabinet

Select an area of the home for your wine storage that will remain under 70ºF and not experience wide temperature fluctuations. Temperature variations may cause the cork to expand and contract, letting air into the bottle. The wine can become oxidized under these conditions.

Strive for balance in your humidity levels. High-level humidity can cause deterioration of the wine labels. Low-level humidity can cause the cork to shrink, and oxidize the wine.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008 at 6:09 am and is filed under Home Decorating, Kitchen and Cooking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.