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If the objective of your wine journey is to store bottles, regardless of whatever little or lots or knowledge you have, if your aim is to keep the bottles of the brew for quite some years, then you can be referred to as a collector and the way you store your brew has to be a little more demanding

If you are storing the wine as a possible means of trade later, then it is even more imperative that the storage be correct because an experienced eye will easily gauge the way the wine has stored and whether it has increased in value or depreciated in the process of it being stored.

The demands of a good wine storage unit is a temperature controlled environment, lots of humidity i.e. the humidity level have to be above 50%, even though such levels might spoil the labels, but the wine will remain good and keeps its flavors intact as well as keep the cork tight thus eliminating the possibility of its drying out and of the oxygen getting in.

Some of the better wine cellars have wine air circulators to prevent mould, and dampners to cut down the vibrations.

Tips for storing
• Store in cool place with little temperature fluctuation
• Find out the age worthiness of your wines before they are past their prime
• For long term storing, maintain high humidity levels (65% - 90%)
• Keep Bottles on their sides
• Keep out of direct sunlight
• Buy a little more storage than you think you need
• Keep away from heavy vibrations (motors shutting on and off)

Wines that improve with age

General Points
• Reds generally age better than whites
• Most wines made today were really intended to be consumed young
• Many dessert wines age well
• Very tannic wines mellow and improve with age
• Champagne will age wonderfully if stored in proper conditions
• High quality wines will improve and last longer
• Aged wines are fragile and can deteriorate very quickly once opened

Reds
• Fine Bordeaux
• Vintage Port
• Big reds from Italy (Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino, etc.)
• Grand Cru and Premier Cru Burgundies
• Quality Spanish Rioja
• Quality Syrah from the Rhône and Shiraz from Australia

Whites
• Grand Cru and Premier Cru white Burgundies
• Gewurztraminers
• Alsace Rieslings
• Quality white Bordeaux

Filed under: Red Wines, White Wines, Beginners Guide