All wine lovers know the importance of storing wine to maintain the quality and flavor of their favorite bottles. Whether it’s a special occasion wine bottle or an everyday sipper, the best way to store wine depends on the type of wine and its age. Proper wine storage helps preserve the wine’s taste, aroma, and color.
This is why it is crucial to store wine correctly, even after opening the bottle. The two main categories of wine are red and white, and both have different storage requirements. While wine coolers are a great option for many, other methods can be used depending on the wine type, age, and personal preferences. This article will explore how to store wine after opening wine, including tips for storing wine bottles.
Use Proper Wine Coolers
Properly storing wine is essential for preserving the quality and taste of wine. While storing wine bottles, a consistent temperature and humidity level should be maintained. Using proper wine coolers specifically designed to accommodate the needs of the different vintages will drastically improve the longevity of your wine. Wine coolers offer the flexibility to adjust the temperature according to the wine type.
Wine coolers provide a temperature-controlled environment and prevent fluctuations that could damage the wine. Greencooler presents a variety of different wine coolers at affordable prices. Whether you are storing red or white wine, a wine cooler can be the best way to store short- and long-term wine. It’s also a great way to store wine after opening, as it helps keep the wine fresh and flavorful for longer.
Choosing a Suitable Cooler for Wine Storage
There are some details to focus on while choosing a suitable cooler for wine storage as wine coolers tend to differ depending on the needs of businesses or individuals. Since getting a wine cooler is a big investment for both businesses and individuals who wish to have it, it is important to understand which aspects are important and need attention while choosing a suitable cooler for wine storage.
- Type of Cooler: The first detail to focus on while choosing a suitable cooler for wine storage is determining which type of commercial wine cooler is needed for the specific use. The types of commercial freezers, refrigerators, and coolers differ according to their use. They also vary according to their place of service and in which business they will be used. For instance, there can be countertop commercial refrigerators used by companies selling cold sandwiches or other cold-served beverages. This type of refrigerator cannot be found in high-end restaurants as they do not serve these products. A similar difference can also be present in wine coolers. Wine coolers can have different sizes, heights, exteriors, and customization, and they are used differently depending on the setting, even though their purpose is still the same. These details make the wine cooler specific to itself, and it is important to determine the type while choosing a suitable cooler for wine storage.
- Right Size: The second detail to focus on while choosing a suitable cooler for wine storage is understanding how big the commercial wine cooler needs to be to meet the needs and standards of businesses or individuals. Only some companies or individuals will need one size wine cooler as they may have either limited or more than enough space for it. Due to this, it is important to determine the right size of wine cooler that will fit your space to avoid getting the wrong sized one. Wine coolers come in different sizes, most of which can be used for various areas. The important aspect of the size detail is to find one that can fit the space without any issues. To achieve this, manufacturers like Greencooler provide a wide range of sizes on their official website.
- The Ideal Temperature: The third detail to pay attention to while choosing a suitable cooler for wine storage is understanding how to store wine in the first place. Wine and other alcoholic beverages have a certain ideal temperature to be held so as not to lose their taste and cool properly. This detail is the main reason for the creation of wine coolers in the first place. However, this ideal temperature detail is still important to be known by the business and individual to prevent any issues regarding the cooler’s performance. The model recommended temperature for wine coolers is 11 to 14o C (52o-57o F). It is important to get a cooler fitting and keep the cooling settings between these temperatures to make the commercial wine cooler work efficiently.
- Customization: Another important detail to focus on while choosing a suitable cooler for wine storage is the exterior and customization of the cooler. This exterior choice can change according to the differences between business and individual use. For business use, the company may display the commercial cooler, freezer, and refrigerator and want a wine cooler that fits the business’s aesthetic and standards. This could also be a concern for individual use since many who own wine celeries or wine coolers will not want one that looks out of place. To prevent this look, manufacturers like Greencooler provide customization services to make the cooler more fitting both aesthetic and exterior-wise. With customization, the cooler could be perfect for businesses or individual’s needs, which makes customization an important aspect of choosing a suitable cooler for wine storage.
Consider the Wine You Want To Store
Before storing wine, it’s important to consider the type of wine you want to store. Red wines and white wines have different temperature requirements for optimal storage. Red wines should be stored at a temperature between 12˚C – 19˚C, while white wines should be stored at a temperature between 8˚C – 12˚C.
Additionally, some wines may require specific humidity levels or lighting conditions. For instance, light can cause the wine to age prematurely and negatively affect its quality. As such, it’s best to store wine in a dark area or a wine cooler with dim lighting. By considering the type of wine you want to store, you can ensure that it’s stored at the ideal temperature and environment to maintain its quality and flavor.
Store Wine Bottles Horizontally
Storing wine bottles horizontally is one of the most important things to remember regarding wine storage. The reason is that keeping the bottle on its side keeps the cork moist and prevents it from drying out. A dry cork can shrink and allow air to seep into the bottle, which can cause oxidation and spoilage of the wine.
Keeping the bottle on its side ensures that the wine remains in contact with the cork and the cork stays moist. This is especially important for red wine, which is generally stored longer than white wine. So, if you want to store wine for a longer time, store the bottles horizontally.
Avoid Sunlight
Another point to consider while storing wine is the sunlight. Sunlight could be harmful to wine because it can cause oxidation and spoilage. Therefore, it is important to store wine bottles in a place not exposed to direct sunlight. This can be achieved by storing the wine bottles in a dark room, a wine cellar, or a wine cooler that provides UV protection.
Even a few minutes of exposure to sunlight can damage the wine, so it’s crucial to keep wine bottles away from windows or other light sources. If you don’t have a dark place to store your wine, you can cover the bottles with a cloth or put them in a wine cooler with a tinted glass door. By avoiding sunlight, you can ensure that your wine stays in good condition and maintains its quality over time.
Protect Wine from Vibration
Storing wine in a place with minimal vibration is very important for the aging process of wine. To protect wine from vibration, keep it in a place where it won’t be disturbed, such as a wine refrigerator from Greencooler.
Keep wine away from appliances that vibrate, like washing machines, and avoid stacking bottles on top of each other. Additionally, avoid moving or handling the wine bottles excessively. A constant, gentle environment is essential for storing wine properly, and minimizing vibration is one of the ways to ensure that.
Consistent Temperature and Humidity
Consistency is key when it comes to storing wine. Maintaining a constant temperature and humidity level is essential to ensure that the wine ages properly and maintains its flavor. Different types of wines and vintages require different temperatures and humidity levels. Fluctuations in temperature and humidity can cause the cork to expand and contract, which can allow air to seep into the bottle and spoil the wine.
Avoid Strong Odors
Avoiding strong odors while storing wine is important since wine tends to absorb the aroma of its surroundings. It is important to store wine away from items with strong odors, such as spices, detergents, or cleaning agents. It is also important to avoid smoking near stored wine as it can also impact its flavor. A wine cooler or a dedicated wine storage area can be a good solution.
Long-Term Wine Storage Techniques
When storing wine for a long time, it is important to consider the aforementioned conditions of the storage unit as well as remember to check the wine periodically and keep track of the aging process to ensure that you are enjoying the wine at its peak. With proper storage techniques, you can preserve the wine’s quality and savor its unique taste for years to come.
Short-Term Wine Storage Techniques
Short-term wine storage refers to storing wine for a few days or weeks before consumption. The best way to store wine for short-term storage is to keep it in a cool, dark place with a consistent temperature. A wine cellar would be the perfect place to store wine but a proper and affordable wine cooler from Greencooler might fit your needs perfectly.
You can reach our previous article from http://greencooler.international/how-to-improve-the-efficiency-of-a-commercial-freezer/