If you want to have a place for wine storage, you should take into account two crucial factors: temperature and humidity. Wine should be stored at a temperature between 10 and 15°C. A few degrees lower will be also good, but if there is a temperature of 20°C or more, another solution should be find, because heat speeds up ageing and there is a risk that the wines will age to early. If there is enough space, but the temperature is too high, the storing place should be provided with air conditioning, the best solution will be of high quality, as the long-lived wines are of great value. Another important factor, humidity should be between 70 and 75%. Even if the glass of the bottle is a perfect insulation, but there is a risk, that the cork will dry in a dry place. Moreover, the bottles should be placed on the shelves (preferably from wood, because it can reduce harmful vibrations) better at an angle than completely horizontally, so that the wine could contact the cork. If the cork dries out, it will shrink, allowing oxygen to enter the bottle and spoiling the wine this way. Generally, the walls and basement should breath, so non breathing surfaces are not appropriate. Even light is harmful to the wine, thus it should be placed in the dark, and the light can be turn on, only if necessary. Seeing how wine storing is demanding, don’t lose courage, sometimes small modifications, like insulating the wet or heat, will provide solution. Sometimes the proper place is easy to find, when you can make space for wine under the stairs or in the pantry, which can be adapted to. If there is no possibility to arrange such a cellar, you can use a wine refrigerator. Various types of wine refrigerators are available, and you can store even 200-300 bottles in proper conditions.
PROPER TEMPERATURES
Every wine has its ideal serving temperature: for white wine between 6 and 14°C, and for red between 14 and 18 or 20°C. The reds from a cold cellar don’t need special treatment, because its temperature will rise 3 or 4°C in several minutes, and another few degrees in the glass. Whites can be chilled for a few hours in the refrigerator or a few minutes in the ice bucket. You should avoid two things however. Firstly, don’t leave wine bottles for weeks in the refrigerator. Cold makes the cork shrinks, when it is swollen oxygen enters into the bottle. Secondly, wine shouldn’t be cooled fast in the refrigerator. Thermic shock isn’t favorable to the quality of wine and sometimes the frozen bottle can pop up. Therefore, much better are wine cooler sleeves obtainable in good enotecas, as it can be put into the refrigerator and taken out just before serving. It’s not necessary to leave wine in the ice bucket then, white wine or spumante is ready to drink.
