Avoid A Common Wine Mistake By Considering Its Storage Environment

It may take about 800 grapes to make a bottle of wine, but it only takes a small, unintended mistake to ruin that same bottle. That's the warning that Foodie got exclusively from Maximilian Riedel, CEO and President of the Riedel wine glass company. Knowing which wine is the sweetest or which vintage pairs best with your special meal is all well and good, but your expertise will all be for naught if you don't store your wine properly between buying it and consuming it.

"Failing to store wine correctly is a major error for anyone building their wine collection," Riedel warns. The matter isn't as simple as buying a wine rack and sticking bottles anywhere in your house. He lists "movement, sunlight, and extreme temperatures" as three enemies of wine — meaning that discerning consumers will make sure they control these variables during storage. Understanding why wine behaves like it does is the first step to storing your vino the right way and ensuring it stays delicious while you aren't using it.

Wines of all types — white, red, sparkling, and so on — like cool temperatures and dark places. Around 55 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. Too warm, and the wine begins to ferment. Too cold, and the liquid can expand, potentially compromising the cork. It's important that sunlight not hit your bottles either, as UV rays can break down the tannins. Most of us don't have a dedicated wine cellar in our basements, so a cost-effective standalone wine cooler is a great investment for oenophiles (wine connoisseurs, for those not in the know). This way, you can control temperature, light, and humidity (another danger to good wine) all in one fell swoop.

The way your bottles rest is also essential. Wine "must be kept on its side in a cool and dry environment for proper storage," cautions Riedel, not only reinforcing what was already known about temperature, but adding an advisory about position. Laying a bottle on its side allows the wine in the vessel to keep its cork moist, which prevents cork degradation. It is also the safest position to prevent excessive movement of the bottle, since vibrations can disrupt sediments and mess with flavor. 

All of this, of course, applies to corked and unopened bottles of wine. The best way to preserve an open bottle also involves laying the bottle on its side, but with more steps to safeguard freshness like sealing the bottle to prevent further oxidation.