Storing Wine

How should you store those two cases of wine you just ordered?

Unfortunately, most homes are not equipped with wine cellars, but following a few basic guidelines can help maintain the integrity of your wine collection. The principles behind storing wine are neither difficult to understand nor to achieve.

Just remember these essentials:

• Temperature — The ideal is 50-55° (10-13°C); however, any constant temperature within 40-65°F (5-18°C) will do. The key is consistency.
• Humidity – A relative humidity of 50-80% is the acceptable range, but about 70% is recommended.
• Darkness – Light will prematurely age a bottle of wine. If your wines are kept in areas of direct sunlight, cover them with a dark blanket.
• Calmness – Store wines so that you don’t disturb them all when you select a particular bottle. Also, it’s important to remember that vibrations caused by excessive sound (ie. loud music) may harm your wine.