The Wine Room: Your Guide To Storing Wine The Right Way

One of the great pleasures of learning about and enjoying wine is curating a wine collection that is personal to your tastes. But choosing and buying wines are only part of the process: they also have to be stored. When preserved correctly, wine can last for decades, even centuries, growing in value and quality. But poor storage can spoil even the greatest wines in the world.

We hear from the experts at The Wine Room about how to store your wine the right way…

Is it important to store wine at the proper temperature?

Absolutely! Your wine should be cellared between 12-17 degrees C; with a generally preferred range of 12-15 degrees for longer-term cellaring; and 15-17 degrees for short- to medium-term cellaring. However, there are 2 other critical factors required for the correct cellaring conditions: Firstly, the temperature must be consistent. A wine cellar kept at a consistent 17 degrees is much better for your wine than one that fluctuates between 12-15 degrees! Secondly, the humidity in your cellar needs to be preferably at 65%, with a range of 55-75% RH considered acceptable throughout the year. Unlike temperature, the humidity can fluctuate. But if it drops too low below 50% RH for too long a period, your wines will oxidise as the corks will dry out. Standard aircons will most certainly pull all the humidity out of your cellar, so make sure to invest in a proper climate control unit that will protect your wine.

True or False. Store wine bottles horizontally?

True. This applies to all formats and varietals.

True or False. Protect wine from light and vibration?

Absolutely true. Light equals heat and UV, both of which are bad for your wines.

Is it important to store wine in a wine fridge or will a regular fridge be sufficient?

If you’re planning on cellaring your wine for medium to longer term, a professional wine fridge is always recommended, as it will provide the correct humidity for your wine, as well as correct storage racks and often dual-temperature zones so you can store your reds at a different temperature to your whites and MCC’s if needed.

If I want to buy a wine cooler, what should I look for?

It completely depends on your needs. There are wine coolers that offer very high capacities (for example the Snomaster VT181 that stores up to 158 bottles) with a focus on technical features and practicality. And there are coolers that are designed rather for lower capacities but that include presentation shelves or angled shelves to ‘show off’ your bottles, as well as integrated door panels to match your décor. An example of this is the Liebherr integrated EWTdf 3553 which accommodates up to 83 bottles in two temperature zones.

If you want to build your fridge into a wine display in a living room or entertainment area, then we always advise clients to look for a quieter Decibels (dB) rating. And understanding if you want a freestanding wine fridge vs an integrated one makes a big difference in terms of a) budget, b) capacity and c) aesthetics.

How do you suggest storing wine that has been opened?

Preserving wine is easy using either a vacuum pump (an example is the L ‘Atelier du Vin). Alternatively, incorporate a system that actively replaces the O2 with the correct gas for either wines or Champagnes (such as the Corovin). Failing to properly close your wine or bubbles will lead to oxidisation and noticeable changes to the taste in as little as 24 hours.

Best glasses to drink wine out of?

Our favourite glass on the market is the Bottega Del Vino Rosso Amarone, mouth-blown, hand-finished imported Italian crystal. The unusual shape of the bowl assists in aerating your red wine, softening the tannins as you drink it. In addition, Riedel’s offers a wide range of varietal-specific stemware. This includes the machine-made Sommelier offering for everyday use, to the strikingly beautiful and delicate Performance range.

What about your choice of lighting for storage of wine?

Turn the lights on or off. As long as you use low-heat-emitting LEDs, you can always keep the lights on when you have guests to showcase and celebrate your wine!