Storing Wine

Not many people are lucky enough to have cellars, and special temperature controlled cabinets are expensive. But following a few simple guidelines will help keep your wines in good condition, even those that do not need time in bottle.

Why bother storing a wine?

Any wine will benefit from a little rest between its journey to you and being opened, if you’re ordering a delivery. It's often not a question of ageing, since the vast majority of wines these days are made to be drunk straight off the shelf, it’s just giving a living organism time to settle. Being patient can be difficult, especially if it's a wine you've never tried before, but wine is not at its best after a long trip. A good plan is to keep some stock at home rather than jump straight into a new case.

Where should I keep a small stock of wine?

Wherever you like, as long as it is not at the mercy of strong light and extremes of temperature. If you want to keep your wines more than a couple of months or so, lay the bottles horizontally so the corks don't dry out, which might let the air in and spoil the wine. Ideally, keep your bottles out of direct sunlight, away from vibration and at a constant temperature. The exact degree is not so important, as long as it's somewhere sensible between freezing and 65° F/18° C! Try to ensure it’s a dark place away from hot water pipes or heaters, so attics or greenhouses are both non-starters. Under stairs, the bottom of cupboards or small spare rooms are all popular resting places for wine and insulation will help to maintain a more constant temperature. Keeping your wines in their box is not a bad idea either - the cardboard does a reasonable insulating job and the bottles are away from bright light, but racks are great of course.

What about fine wines that need keeping for years?

For long term storage, frankly, unless you have a cellar or somewhere with cellar-like conditions (a constant cool temperature and humidity) it would be better to have your wines professionally stored. Sponsored by Taste Of The Grape