Many people enjoy a glass of wine in the evening, a few glasses with friends, or sharing a bottle over dinner. There are some who enjoy hosting wine tasting parties to share in the friendship and discovery of new tastes. If designing your own wine room is something you envision from time to time, here are a few to inspire you and tips on how to properly store wine.
There are four important factors to consider when storing wine to maintain its quality, flavor and longevity. They are temperature, humidity, light and direction of bottle storage.
Red and white store at different temperatures. Although wine enthusiasts vary on the perfect temperature for wine, the consensus is that red should be stored between 50 and 55 degrees, whereas white wines should be stored between 45 and 50 degrees. Wine coolers today are generally equipped with dual-zone cooling for this purpose.
The humidity level for all wine should be between 70 and 75%. If the humidity is too low, the cork will shrink. A high humidity will result in mold forming. In order to monitor fluctuations, invest in a humidity gauge with temperature sensor for the area where you will be storing wine.
Wine should never be stored near sunlight and electric lights should be kept off as often as possible. If you have a basement, this makes the perfect spot for wine storage.
Wine should be stored horizontally so that the cork is wet. This will keep the cork from drying out and cracking.
A wine room in the basement is the ideal. However, if you don’t have a basement to work with, you can create a pantry off the kitchen or use another room in the house. The dining room can double as a wine room and transitions easily into a tasting room for parties or small gatherings.
When storing wine in the kitchen, a cooler is invaluable. With temperatures and humidity varying greatly in the kitchen due to cooking, a wine cooler is the only way to maintain the condition of the wine. If you are planning a party and want to create the right setting, taking a few bottles out of storage and keeping them temporarily in a wine rack is convenient and stylish. If you have any bottles left over after the party, you can return them to their proper storage.
There are numerous options for creating a wine room. You can create your own or hire a professional to install built-in wine racks in the dining room, kitchen or another unused room in the house. You can convert a pantry or closet into a wine storage area.
Whether you enjoy a simple glass of wine in the evenings or sharing in the friendship and good cheer of a wine tasting party, wine storage is readily available for your home. You can design a room just for entertaining and tasting or simply create a basement wine room for proper storage. Allocate a space in the kitchen or dining room. Repurpose a pantry or closet. With the right place and the proper storage, wine can be enjoyed at its best.
