We’ve received quite a few questions lately about wine storage. It appears that more and more people are finding a particular wine that they like, and then buying a few more bottles to “lay down” for future enjoyment.
The following Q&A should help you maximize that enjoyment a few months… or a few years… down the road.
QUESTION: We have between two dozen and three dozen wines on hand at our house at any given time. Should we invest in a wine cooler?
ANSWER: It depends.
If some of those bottles were fairly expensive, and were purchased with the idea of not drinking them for several years, investing in a temperature-controlled wine cabinet may not be a bad idea.
When cellaring wine for more than a few years, you can protect their quality by storing them at a constant temperature of 55 degrees. A steady humidity level of between 55 and 75% also is helpful in keeping corks from cracking (and allowing wine-damaging air into the bottle).
But if you purchase wine primarily to drink within a few days or months, no cooler should be necessary, unless you live in a desert community. Just be sure to store it well away from the oven or other sources of heat.
