Want to know how to store wine properly and choose the right wine storage solution? Whether you’re planning to use a wine fridge, rent a wine storage unit, or build a wine cellar, this guide on proper wine storage can help you preserve your collection for the best taste!
Key Wine Storage Tips
In order to preserve your wine collection, it’s important to keep it in the proper storage conditions. Here are six key considerations for choosing wine storage.
Maintain a Consistent Temperature
Storing wine, whether at home or in a self storage unit, requires a specific temperature range. Fortunately, the best temperature to store wine is the same for both red wine and white wine—between 45 and 65 degrees, with the ideal being somewhere in the middle of this range (around 55 degrees). Keeping your wine at a consistent temperature helps preserve its flavor and aroma, allowing you to enjoy it as the winemaker intended. It also prevents corks from drying out or shrinking. Avoid storing wine in a regular kitchen fridge, as the colder temperatures can cause small tartrate crystals to form. It’s also worth noting that storage temperatures differ from serving temperatures. White wines and rosés are best served at 44 to 55 degrees, sparkling wines at 40 to 46 degrees, lighter reds at 55 to 59 degrees, and bold red wines at 60 to 68 degrees.
Avoid Light
Wine bottles are often tinted to help protect their contents from light exposure, which can negatively affect the wine—especially UV rays, which can break down compounds like riboflavin. To preserve wine quality, it’s imperative to store bottles away from direct sunlight or artificial light. At home, this means choosing a windowless area, ideally with wine cellar lighting. If you’re using a wine fridge, the tinted glass helps block harmful light, and interior lighting should be used minimally. Storage units are typically low-lit or completely dark, making them a good option for wine storage. Whether you opt for a wine cellar, closet, fridge, or wine storage unit, only turn on lights when necessary—like when grabbing a bottle, checking your collection, or giving guests a peek. Or, take light protection a step further by keeping your collection in drawers, boxes, or storage containers to provide an additional shield from light exposure.
Store Horizontally or at an Angle
When aging wine, it’s important to keep the cork slightly moist to prevent it from drying out and allowing air into the bottle. The best way to do this is by storing bottles on their sides, ideally with a slight decline toward the cork—around a 45-degree angle. However, if your wine has screw caps, plastic closures, or synthetic corks, storing the bottles on their sides isn’t necessary. And if you’re short on space, storing wine upright can be a practical option—especially if you plan to drink it soon. In that case, you don’t need a horizontal or slanted wine rack, since your bottle’s position won’t matter much.
Limit Vibrations
When storing wine—especially older bottles or those with sediment—vibrations can be a concern. Constant movement or excessive vibration can break up the sediment, affecting the wine’s flavor profile and speeding up the aging process. To minimize this, avoid frequent handling and store bottles in stable environments. For extra precaution, add padding to the floor and around shelving units to help diffuse vibrations. In earthquake-prone areas, store your wine low to the ground in individual boxes and crates, or use secured racks to limit movements. If you’re using a wine fridge, make sure the fan doesn’t cause micro-vibrations, and prevent the fridge from being bumped or jostled. If your wine fridge is making more noise than normal, check for potential fan issues that could lead to more vibrations.
Control the Humidity Levels
Maintaining a 60% – 86% humidity level helps prevent corks from drying out and shrinking, which can let air into the bottle and spoil the wine. You can control humidity by using a wine fridge with humidity control, storing bottles in a humidity-controlled storage unit, or setting up a wine cellar with proper humidity levels. In drier conditions, try a wine cellar humidifier or place a bowl of water in the storage area. In overly humid environments, consider using a dehumidifier to help prevent mold buildup. While mold in the storage area won’t harm the wine inside sealed bottles, it can damage labels and create an unpleasant environment—so keeping the area clean and mold-free is ideal.
Avoid Bad Odors
Keep your wine away from places with strong or unpleasant smells—like cleaning supplies, garbage, or certain foods—as odors can potentially seep through the cork and affect the wine’s taste and smell. For an extra measure of protection, consider using charcoal filters or odor-absorbing materials near your wine storage area to help neutralize smells and preserve your wine’s quality.
Benefits of Renting a Wine Storage Unit
While storing wine at home can be convenient in terms of proximity and being able to show off your collection to guests, you might not have space for a full cellar or access to the tools needed for proper wine storage. In these cases, you may opt to rent wine storage instead! With a range of wine storage rates available, it’s often more affordable than constructing a home setup. Here are the advantages of renting self storage for your wine collection.
Free Up Space at Home
If your wine collection has outgrown your available space, self storage can be an excellent solution. You can keep a few ready-to-serve bottles at home and move the rest to a wine storage unit, freeing up space at home without sacrificing your collection. Choosing a local facility with wine storage near you—particularly one with extended or 24-hour access—makes it easy to retrieve bottles whenever you need them.
Get Storage Designed with Wine in Mind
Forget the time and effort of designing and building a home wine cellar—wine storage units come equipped with everything you need to keep your wine fresh! With features like temperature and humidity control, low lighting, odor protection, and minimal vibration, these units offer ideal conditions without the hassle of DIY setup. It’s a great way to enjoy your wine hobby without the commitment of installing a wine fridge or building a permanent cellar at home.
Keep Your Collection Secure in a Monitored Facility
Protect your wine collection by choosing a secure, professionally monitored facility. Many wine storage facilities have advanced security features such as video surveillance, electronic gate access, on-site resident managers, security access to your floor only, and individually-alarmed units. And for added peace of mind, some storage facilities also offer optional storage insurance.
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Looking for reliable wine storage near you? Extra Space Storage offers temperature-controlled wine storage units at select facilities to help keep your collection safe. Rent affordable storage today!
