OK, maybe not quite that bad, but you get the point.
Wine storage solutions play an important part in keeping wine in good shape for longer. There are so many elements to consider from temperature to sunlight to position – for those of us who like to collect wine, standing the bottles next to the microwave is not the best option!
Storing wine correctly is not a complicated process. Nor is it only for those that splash thousands of pounds on a bottle. If you like wine, look at the home wine storage solutions that are best suited to your needs and enjoy your favourite bottle for longer. Here are some bits of advice that we’ve gathered from the experts.
Read the label on a bottle of wine and more often than not it reads: “Best served chilled or at room temperature”. But what if your central heating is on – is that still room temperature? Sudden dips and spikes in mother nature’s thermostat can also play havoc with your wine storage so it helps to know exact temperatures.
Steve King, director of Bottled & Boxed, says that “The perfect temperature for storing a bottle of wine depends on everything from the fruit type to the alcohol content. But, as a general rule of thumb, full-bodied reds should be stored at 17-19˚C. Light to medium-bodied reds can be kept between 12-16˚C so store them in a cool, dark cupboard. Lower temperatures work best for dry white wines, around 8-12˚C should do the job. Sparkling and sweet wines can be stored in even colder conditions at 5-8˚C. Your kitchen fridge will usually be set to 3˚C, which will be slightly too cold. So, if you often drink white, sparkling, or sweet wines, it’s worth investing in a wine cooler that gives you full control over the temperature.”
Most homes are not built to accommodate wine cellars with multiple wine racks – in fact, many homes today can barely fit in a sofa bed for visitors. But if you have a taste for good wine, then you need to make room for your scrupulously acquired bottles. There’s really not much point in stashing them haphazardly in cupboards and fridge shelves without much thought to climate control. Keep that up and the only miracle you’ll achieve is turning wine to vinegar.
Wine fridges are among the most convenient home wine storage solutions that you can fit in almost anywhere. According to Wanderlust Wines, wine fridges are becoming more and more popular because they provide accurate temperature settings. The warmer wine is stored, the quicker it will age, mature or spoil. A stable and lower than room temperature is key to keeping wine in the best condition. What’s more, with a wine fridge, you can keep your whites cold and your reds warmer at the same time thanks to the ‘climate zones’ feature. This means you can set different sections of your fridge at different temperatures, allowing you to pop ice-cold champagne for yourself and a glass of perfectly temperate red for your friends at the same time.
Another weird and wonderful fact is that corks breathe! This means they can pick up odours from the room they are stored in which will eventually taint the taste of the wine. In a wine fridge, a charcoal filtration system keeps the air clean and the wine tasting pure. Just think how many good bottles of wine have been spoiled left sitting next to the stove in the kitchen or dumped on the windowsill in full daylight. A wine fridge’s UV glass door also prevents damage or premature ageing from sunlight.
If, thanks to your last shopping spree in Calais, your wine rack is bursting at the seams, then you may also need to sort out some more home wine storage solutions.
At Access, we don’t currently offer temperature-controlled wine storage, but we’re here to help with anything else you need to keep safe!
Take a look at our storage options as well as our branches all around the country, including Access Self Storage Derby, Access Self Storage Islington and Access Self Storage Kings Cross.
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