How to Properly Store Your Wine
So you just got yourself a bottle of one of our premiere wines that you would like to save for a special occasion. We don’t blame you, they are incredible vintages and a great way to enhance a celebration. But the question remains, how to properly store your wine so it doesn’t spoil and you can enjoy it when you are ready. Wine needs the right environment or it will spoil, so let’s look at how you can best store your wine until you are ready to drink it.
The Temperature
One of the most important aspects of storing wine is the temperature in which it is stored. You need a place that doesn’t fluctuate much when it comes to temperature and the right amount of humidity. You want to store your wine between 45 – 65 F, not too hot and not too cold. Wine coolers are great in the short term, so if you buy wine in October you want to drink at Christmas then perfect. Long term there isn’t enough humidity and your cork will dry out and ruin your wine.
Sunlight
Sunlight is not your friend, this is why for thousands of years wine was stored in cellars, to keep it out of the sun. You want to keep your wine in a cool dark place away from sunlight. House lights won’t ruin your wine but they can fade the label, altering the value of a very expensive bottle of wine.
Laying the Bottles on Their Side
Wine lovers tend to store bottles of wine with the bottle lying on its side. The idea is to keep the cork wet so that it doesn’t dry out. You only really need to do this if you are storing wine for years. Short term storage this really isn’t that important. You can get some really great wines today that don’t use a cork but rather a screw top or plastic cork and those you don’t have to worry about at all.
There are some subtle differences to storing red and white wines, but for the most part these storage methods will work for either. No matter what color wine you prefer proper storage is important. Find the right spot in your home where you can store your wine that is cool and dry. Wine is meant to be enjoyed not tucked away for safe keeping never to be seen again.
How to Enjoy Wine
A question that we get asked fairly often is how to properly drink wine, while we believe that enjoying the wine should be your first priority there are ways to make the experience better. Here is a small guide on how to enjoy wine so that you can appreciate the flavors that go into a bottle of wine.
Let it Sit for a Moment
Once you pour yourself or your company a glass of wine let it sit for a couple of moments. Wine is fermented and that creates CO2, some wineries will add CO2 to their bottle because it helps to preserve the wine. When you initially pour a glass of wine you will see bubbles in the glass, the bubbles can give your glass a harsh taste. Letting it sit gives you a smoother tasting wine.
Swirl Your Wine
You have probably seen people swirling wine in their glass and wondered why they did that. There is an actual reason for this, it releases the aromas. Wine today has a much higher alcohol content than it did decades ago. That much alcohol can stop you from experiencing all the flavors of the wine and make it taste more like cough syrup rather than something you enjoy. Swirling the wine allows you to enjoy the wine without the alcohol getting in the way. Here is how and why you should swirl your wine.
Serve Wine Cold
Yes, every expert in the world has told you that red wine should be at room temperature at least 62F or higher. You will enjoy the wine better if it is a little cooler than that. Again because of the higher alcohol content you can taste the alcohol more strongly at higher temperatures. If you chill it just slightly to around 55F you will enjoy the flavors better.
Use a Big Glass
No, that doesn’t mean that you should pour an entire bottle of wine into a giant glass. But a bigger glass with a small quantity of wine lets you enjoy it more. You have more room for the aromas giving you a better flavor.
The best wines go together with good company. Enjoy wine with friends, good food and scintillating conversations. Don’t get too caught up in vintages and flavors and aromas. Find a good wine that you enjoy and raise a toast to friendship.
