How-To Store Wine Properly

Texas Mega Storage
June 20th, 2023

Wine is fun with dinner, at parties, and even by yourself. If you’re a connoisseur and plan to keep multiple bottles in your home or a storage unit, it’s a good idea to know how to store wine properly. Keeping it in the wrong position or location could lead to its deterioration and ultimate expiration before you get the chance to enjoy a glass.

If you’re interested in learning more about storing wine properly, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn more about keeping this delectable beverage in the right place, whether you want to store it in your home or keep extras in a storage unit so they will remain safe for years.

Study The Wine You Want to Store

First, take note of the wine you want to store. Consider the types, characteristics, and other items that will impact how they fare once tucked away for long-term storage. You might want to keep some on hand, while others will be fine packed up until you decide you want to pull them out again.

Think about items like:

How much wine you have
How long you need to store
Types of wine, such as fine wine
Where you want to keep it

These may change the location or how many bottles you put away.

It might be easier to note down your bottles and these questions with their answers to ensure you have everything laid out before you make any final decisions. Knowing the answers to these will save you plenty of work with rearrangement in the future.

Check Expiration Dates

Next, consider the expiration dates of each bottle. Although some wines exist to age and sit in storage forever, most will only be drinkable for one to two years, even less after they are open. If you want to keep these bottles stored for a long time, you may need to remove a few from the lineup.

Here is the typical lifespan of various bottles of wine:

Red: This wine lasts up to three years in quality storage.
White: This wine lasts one to two years in proper storage conditions.

Red will last much longer than white.

Every bottle of wine is different. If you got yours at the grocery store or a liquor business, stick to these time constraints to be safe. If you invested in your wine from a vineyard, reach out to the growers for their opinion on how long you can store their wine before it’s time to get rid of it.

Pick A Storage System

Next, consider how you are going to store your wine. Will it be at home? In a basement? In a closet? Are you planning on using a storage unit for your bottles? There are plenty of locations to consider for your collection.

Once you have a spot, you need to pick a way to hold the bottles upright, such as a:

Wine rack
Wine refrigerator
Bar cart

There are many ways to keep your bottles in the ideal position.

If you’re keeping the wine in your home, a wine refrigerator or bar cart might offer the best look to match your decorations. If you place the bottles in a storage unit, a simple set of wine racks or a cabinet will provide more stability.

Put It in A Dark, Dry Location

Once you have your collection of wine, location, and a storage system underway, it’s time to put your wine away. You need somewhere dark and dry, free from sunlight and fluctuating temperatures, to keep the stability of flavor.

Any exposure to sunlight, sweltering heat, or frigid air could alter the flavor, ruining it. If you’re sticking it in a location with slight sunlight, try to wrap your bottle in a cloth or place it inside a box to provide some form of protection from the UV.

The right environment matters with a bottle of wine. You can’t throw them anywhere in storage - the bottles will fall apart if they aren’t given proper care. If you are using a storage unit then it should be climate controlled.

Store On Their Side

It might seem easier to store wine bottles in an upright position. After all, it takes up less room, and you can fit more bottles per area without much effort. However, keeping your wine bottle vertical is a surefire way to cause the wine to fall apart faster.

Bottles of wine stored on their side will allow moisture to form around the cork to create a seal by causing it to swell. If the bottle is upright, the liquid won’t reach the top of the bottle and won’t fully plug in the glass.

If you’re planning on keeping the bottles in storage for a long time, keep them on their side to preserve their flavor. Otherwise, you’ll be met with off-tasting wine at your next meal.

Keep The Temperature and Humidity Consistent

Finally, ensure you put your bottles where the temperature and humidity remain consistent. Every bottle exists to have specific flavors and aromas, and changing temperatures and humidity levels will mess up the intricate design.

The best temperature range for bottled wine is 45 to 65 degrees. If the drink sits in anything above 70, it will spoil or deteriorate in no time. A temperature of 55 is the sweet spot, but you can range slightly above or below without trouble.

Humidity levels don’t matter as much - what matters is that they remain consistent. Keep the air the same throughout the storage process to ensure the wine settles and the structure does not alter. You can achieve this with a climate-controlled storage unit.

Need Storage for Your Wine?

If you’re looking for a place to store wine and other items, look no further than Texas Mega Storage. Our storage facility is in Spring, Texas and are designed to fit your needs, whether you need to store a bed or a single bottle of wine. We also offer climate control storage to keep your special bottles at a consistent temperature throughout the ownership process. Book a unit online or give us a call at (281)355-7000.