4 Sommelier Tips for Storing Wine
Find the Best Wine Storage Solutions for Every Budget
You have just spent an amazing weekend in the vineyards and wine cellars in California wine country. From the Anderson Valley, you’ve returned with a case or two of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, sparkling wine, and other gems.
You want to save some bottles from your wine country vacation for a special occasion, but you have never collected wine before. Here are four wine tips for choosing the best way to cellar your wine.
Tip # 1: Protect the Cork and Remember Wine Likes Cool, Dark Spaces
The Case Box Method:
For a small collection on a budget, the easiest thing to do is to turn the wine bottles upside down and keep them stored in the case box, preferably in a basement or in a closet where the case box will not be disturbed. Wine stores best around 7–18 °C (45–64 °F), with any variations in temperature being gradual. Turning the wine upside down or on its’ side ensures the cork remains moist and will not dry out and crack, allowing oxygen into the bottle.
Oxygen is necessary for winemaking but can be an enemy of preserving wine if it oxidizes the wine and changes the taste. Fortunately, new technologies like the DIAM cork from G3 Enterprises have created corks that are guaranteed to prevent oxygen transfer. Click the image below for a video that tells you more about their sustainable corks that respect the planet with bio-sourced natural ingredients and the use of beeswax emulsion.
Tip #2: Don’t Underestimate the Size of the Wine Collection
The Wine Fridge:
If you are a budding wine collector, the idea of investing in a fridge dedicated to wine probably excites you. If you live in a city flat in San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, or NYC, storage can be a challenge. Fortunately, there are many options for the perfect wine fridge as reviewed in this summary by Epicurious. Be prepared for a slight uptick in electricity, and also the risk to outgrow the storage capacity. Wine collecting often becomes a bit of an obsessive habit.
The Wine Locker:
For the serious collector who outgrows the home wine fridge and who is unable to build a wine cellar for storage, renting a temperature-controlled wine space is also an option. Whether you live in wine country or a major metropolitan city, many businesses offer the perfect environment to store your collection.
Tip #3: Not Every Wine Bottle is Shaped Equally
The Wine Rack Solution:
If you got the wine bug while tasting wine, and very possibly you have joined a wine club or two, you’ll need a wine cellaring system that allows for you to easily access the wines.
One issue found with many wine fridges and larger capacity wine racks is the limitation to properly fit non-Bordeaux shaped bottles (used for Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc). If you enjoy cool climate wines from Anderson Valley, Burgundy, Champagne, Oregon, Sonoma, and parts of Napa Valley, make sure the rack can fit “Burgundy” bottles as many are not wide enough for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Champagne sized bottles.
Also, consider:
- If able to locate a dark, cool, and relatively undisturbed area
- Avoid vibrations from appliances like the washing machine or dishwasher
- Store the wines you want to age on the bottom (heat rises), and you’ll also tend to disturb them less
- Don’t buy a rack that is too small and that you’ll outgrow. This inexpensive 72 bottle rack holds six cases of Burgundy sized bottles
Tip #4: If You Build It, The Wine Will Come
The Wine Cellar or Wine Cave:
If you have the space, funds, and commitment to a lifetime of collecting wine you may want to consider to custom build your own wine cellar. This is the dream of every wine collector to provide organization and to ensure the perfect humidity and temperature. This is necessary to the high-end collector who plans to invest for personal consumption, to donate or to sell at auction or, to re-list bottles on the wines futures market (yes, this exists). If you want to learn more about wine futures read this article by Wine Spectator for ‘How (and when) to Buy Wine Futures’.
Ultimately, if you do not have the ability to store wine, you really shouldn’t worry. While joining a wine club or buying wine by the case has economic advantages, it is estimated that most U.S. wine consumption (as much as 95%) happens within one week from purchase. As we’ve reviewed, if you find your wine purchasing habits change, there are plenty of options available.
~ Courtney DeGraff, Executive Director of the Anderson Valley Winegrowers
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