subject: Wine Storage Methods: Long Term And Short Term Wine Storage [print this page] In almost all homes today, having a glass of wine is part of our evening meal. Gone are the days when serving wine at home is limited to just special occasions and when guests are around. Today, more and more people are getting into the hobby of wine collection, not just for personal consumption but also for business.
So if you have the facility to store wine at home, why not make use of this privilege? After all, the longer the wine is stored at the right conditions, even without a wine cooler, the better its taste becomes.
It is therefore necessary to know the methods of wine collection and the equipment necessary to preserving your wine.
There are basically two methods which are the short term and the long term storage.
SHORT TERM STORAGE
When talking about short term storage, you are planning to consume your wine within the next six months from the date of purchase of the wine. Or, it may also be that you are taking out these bottles of wine from long term storage because you want easier access to drink them.
A wine refrigerator is the ultimate option for storing wine for a short period. A wine refrigerator will keep your bottles safe from any vibration and will keep them lying on their side to ensure that the cork remains moist, keeping it from drying up and shrinking and eventually spoiling the wine. However, if your budget does not permit you just yet to buy a wine refrigerator, then you may temporarily opt for a cooler part of your house or keep them in boxes or racks where they lie on their side still.
For short term storage, it is necessary to keep the wine bottles in a desirable temperature which is somewhere between 6-19 degrees, dependent on the type of wine. Make sure as well that the temperature does not fluctuate. This environment must also be odor-less and vibration free so as not to spoil the wine.
LONG TERM STORAGE
On the other hand, long term storage is done if you intend to store your wine for more than 6 months. This is especially true if you have a huge collection and you think you cannot consume every single bottle within the next six months.
In such circumstances, you need to have the perfect conditions to keep your wines safe and of good quality. These include: a dark place with a stable temperature, high humidity, and absence of vibration. The dark environment is necessary because the long term exposure to light to wines may cause it to spoil. Therefore, it is important that the glass door of your wine refrigerator has a protective film.
Wine refrigerators are also suitable for long term storage especially because they provide an odorless and vibration-free environment with controlled humidity levels & constant temperature.
Wines are great with dinner, they can add that pleasant taste to every dish you have!
