Wine Storage: How To Store Your Wine To Ensure Maximum Quality Preservation
Your wine collection is a reflection of your personal preferences and global geography. You may visit a local vineyard while traveling and bring back a bottle or two or a case of wine. Discovering and acquiring a fine wine, or an unidentified gem and food pairing, is a thrilling and adventurous endeavor. A wonderful wine collection can provide immediate, intermediate, and long-term enjoyment if the wines are stored properly.
Whether your wine bottles are intended for everyday consumption or a collection, there are a few important storage considerations to keep in mind. When deciding where to store your wine, you should consider factors such as temperature, humidity, light, and vibration, as each will affect the long-term preservation of your investment.
A wine fridge’s primary purpose is to store wines at the ideal temperature. The cooling system in your wine cellar is essential for the proper storage of your collection. When working with a wine cellar refrigeration expert, you need not worry about wines going bad due to improper storage conditions.
Considerations When Storing Wine
Ideally, you should select a subterranean location, such as a basement, where temperatures are naturally cool throughout the year. Your basement is a common location for storing your collection. There are a variety of wine refrigerator options for basement wine cellar storage. It is incorrect to believe that a standard air conditioner can be used to cool a wine cellar. A HVAC technician will perform a heat load calculation to determine the best type and size of refrigeration unit for your facility. With this method, you can determine the necessary BTUs. BTUs are dependent on the wine cellar’s location. We will consider all heat sources (e.g., the sun, appliances, etc.) that can impact the cooling performance of your wine fridge.
If the area is particularly damp, you should store your wines against subterranean walls and off the ground. Choose a location away from heat sources such as water-heaters, furnaces, and boilers, as well as windows that can cause temperature fluctuations and expose the collection to ultraviolet light. The vibrations caused by furnaces, boilers, and water heaters can negatively impact the wine’s long-term quality. The chemistry of wine can be altered by vibration, causing it to lose quality, aroma, and flavor. The optimal conditions for long-term storage include a constant temperature between 55°F and 57°F (12°C and 14°C), humidity control, darkness, and the absence of vibrations.
For optimal temperature and humidity control, your wine refrigerator must be insulated and sealed with a vapor barrier. Professionally applied eco-friendly closed-cell spray foam is a comprehensive insulation and vapor barrier.