Knowing how to store red wine is important to maximize the drink's qualities! Reds have been one of the world's most popular drinks for centuries. The elegant elixir is loved so much that experts have devoted their lives to improving and preserving its quality, in addition to perfecting how to store red wine correctly. Connoisseurs across the globe spend hours upon hours, taking measures to ensure that the wine they drink and serve is living up to its fullest potential.
While most of a red's flavor and aroma owe a lot to its brewing, aging, and serving techniques, few people realize the impact that proper wine storage has on its taste. While experts can go on for hours describing the proper way to store red wine, you can get by with knowing these basics:
The Best Temperature to Store Red Wine is?
Temperature is a key component in serving reds, so it's naturally of utmost importance when it comes to storage. In terms of red wine temperature, storage is considered by some experts to be more important than serving. Store red wine at too high a temperature: and the wine will oxidize and age prematurely, spoiling some of its flavor. Store red wine at too low a temperature: this will slow down the natural aging process and cause some of the more delicate notes to recede.
The ideal temperature to store red wine is around 50 to 65F (10 to 18C). When you store red wine, try to keep the temperature as constant as possible. Any sudden fluctuations could have an adverse effect on the wine, and its best flavors could be lost forever.
Wine Cellars
Light and humidity also affect the quality of reds; light, like heat, oxidizes the wine, while uncontrolled humidity can have several effects. Too much humidity will cause mold and mildew to form on your bottles, while too little will cause the cork to dry out, which will let air enter the bottle and oxidize the wine.
For these reasons wine cellar storage is a worthwhile investment for wine lovers. Wine cellar temperature is typically lower than room temperature, while the darkness and moderate humidity help preserve the quality of your reds. If you do not want to invest in a wine cellar room, any cool, dark and dry place in your home (like your basement or a closet) will do. There are also countertop wine chillers available in the market today that should do the trick.
Position
Always store red wine on its side. This will keep the wine in contact with the cork, thus preventing the cork from drying out. It's also a good idea to keep the label side up. That way, it'll be easier to spot any sediments that may have formed during storage.
Time
The adage that wine gets better with age isn't always true. In fact, a lot of wines being produced today will not improve, most especially the inexpensive ones. Most good reds can be stored and aged for anywhere between 2 to 10 years.
How to Store Red Wine if the Bottle is Already Opened?
While it may be tempting to keep an unfinished bottle of wine in the fridge, don't do it. Reds should be kept in a cool, dark, and moderately dry place. All you have to do is simply re-cork the bottle and put it back in storage. Remember to keep it on its side to prevent the cork from drying out. If air oxidation is a problem, you can purchase special pumps made to remove the air, helping to preserve the wine. After that, storage should be a worry-free matter.
Keep in mind, however, that when you store red wine that has already be opened, it will keep for only 2 to 3 days. If you don't choose to drink it by then, try cooking with it. Reds are a flavorful addition to many sauces.
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2007 Angels Landing Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine at Gary's Wine and Marketplace Wayne NJ Wine Store
