Wine Storage: wine storage temperatures and wine storage systems

Oxidation can ruin an otherwise exquisite bottle of wine if the mouth of the bottle does not have an air tight seal to prevent oxidation. Wine spoilt by oxidation has a strong undesirable aroma and flavor, which makes the wine inconsumable. Have you ever wondered why traditionally, wine is stored on its side and not upright? Well at times, the cork of the bottle would dry and shrink just enough to let air into the bottle thus causing a cork taint.

Keeping the wooden cork wet during wine storage would prevent cork taint to some extent, but bottle mouths must always have an air tight seal. The recent introduction of synthetic corks and screw capped bottles goes against early vineyard tradition but made the need to store wines on their side, unnecessary. It is worth noting that there are distinct differences in wine storage of opened bottles against that of unopened bottles. Opened bottles for instance are not expected to be stored for more than two days or so where as unopened bottles can be stored for months or even years to attain a perfect maturity like no other; in such cases complex wine storage systems are used.

Wine Storage Temperatures

Maintaining a constant temperature is a crucial aspect of wine storage. It is important to prevent temperature fluctuations, as they can ruin wine; this is especially true for red wine. Both Red and White wines are ideally stored at temperatures between 49 and 58 degrees Fahrenheit away from direct sunlight. As mentioned earlier on the importance of keeping the Cork of the wine slightly damp or wet, it is better to store wines in a humid environment, to prevent them from shrinking.

Wine Storage Systems

Wine storage systems govern several aspects of wine storage including areas such as how you intend to monitor you bottles as they mature, the design and the wine racks, control ambient climate, Journal your stock etc. These types of storage systems are typically the premise of well established restaurants and hotels as they are believed to have a large collection of wines for storage; however it is not uncommon to hear of connoisseurs and vintage wine collectors who have such complex systems built into their personal wine cellars.

If you are interested in building your own wine cellar, the most important aspect to consider is the temperature control system, and having a functionally designed wine rack. The design of your cellar is greatly dependant on the volume of you collection; a cellar for 50 to 60 bottles is atypical. There are several highly skilled wine Cellar designers that can help you construct your personal wine storage system, and keep you collection safe; most are happy to guide you through the process even if you are a beginning collector.