Wine storage - create a home cellar, or hire facilities

Wine bottles should be kept lying down on their side, in a dark, quiet and slightly humid place, at around 8 - 13 degrees Centigrade. Ideally the bottles should be turned every few months. If not kept in these conditions, wine will age more quickly. If the temperature fluctuates, the bottles are exposed to light or subject to vibration, the wine will not age very well.

Not all wine is meant to be kept for a long time, however. Indeed some lose their vigour if they are kept too long. If in doubt, it is generally best to open a wine too early than to hang on to it and discover too late that it is past its prime. In order to keep track of the wines in your cellar, you could try organising them in order of the optimum drinking age.

If you have a lot of wine, there are facilities available to store wine in professional wine warehouse where the optimum conditions for storing wine are guaranteed. This usually costs around $15 (£8) per case (12 bottles) of wine per year.

Alternatively, if you have the space in your own home, you may wish to create your own cellar, and there are a number of companies offering quotes for this sort of building project. Do not be fooled into thinking that a wine cellar will boost the value of your home, however. Studies show that the addition of a wine cellar has little or no effect on the value of a home: it is far better to add another bathroom.

In general wine is stored in either racks or a cupboard at home, as not everyone has the luxury of a slightly humid, temperature controlled, dark space to convert into a cellar!

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2013 - Wine Storage

Contact | Disclaimer | Sitemap | Advertising