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Red wine is a popular, flavourful wine that many people enjoy, from Malbec to Shiraz. It boasts rich flavours that pack a punch and often complements a tasty meal or just a cosy evening at home relaxing. Many businesses, wine enthusiasts and even newcomers love the flavour and luxury red wine brings, which is why it’s a staple to add to a wine collection. Having various bottles and types of red wines can always come in handy. However, your bottles need to be stored correctly to preserve the rich flavours and pristine condition, whether you love a variety of wines or want to build your very own red wine collection. Red wine is best when stored properly, which means you can’t just cram your bottles into a cupboard or stack boxes on top of each other, because this can ruin the quality and the taste.
It can be difficult to know how to store red wine correctly to maintain its flavour and ensure the bottles don’t get damaged. We have created a guide to help you understand what storage conditions red wine needs to thrive and be full of flavour with every sip.
How to Properly Store Red Wine
Red wine is a complex, sophisticated drink that can change over time, so properly storing it maintains its condition, prevents spoilage and allows it to age wonderfully. There are many considerations to keep in mind when thinking about where to store your wine and what you need to keep it flavourful and punchy, from the right temperature and space to the light and positioning.
Keep at the Perfect Temperature
When it comes to how to properly store red wine, the key factor is the temperature of the space you want to store bottles in. The best temperature for your chosen space for red wine is between 12-18°C. Whichever area of your home you’re thinking about using as a storage space for red wine bottles, test the temperature to see if it falls within this range. You should also make sure that the temperature remains consistent and doesn’t fluctuate, meaning you should keep your chosen area at the same temperature at all times. If you store your bottles in a space that constantly has temperature changes, this can cause your wine to expand and contract, which can lead to seeping or oxidation. It can also significantly affect the flavour of the wine and make it spoil.
It's also best to avoid extreme temperatures for your wine storage space. Temperatures that go above 24°C can age every bottle of wine prematurely, while temperatures below 7°C can slow down ageing. Storing red wine in extreme temperatures can ruin the flavour and quality of your collection.
Make Sure Humidity Levels Are Right
Alongside the perfect temperature range for red wine, your storage area needs to have optimal humidity levels to maintain the quality and taste. The area you choose to store your bottles should have a humidity level of 60-70%. Storing red wine in this level of humidity helps to keep the cork moist, so that it doesn’t dry out and let air get into the bottle, which spoils the wine. Test your chosen space for humidity levels before placing your collection in that part of your home.
Make sure to avoid choosing a very humid environment because if your collection is stored in a space that has excessive humidity, every bottle can grow mould. On the other hand, if there’s too little humidity, the area can dry out the cork. To be able to keep a steady humidity level, use a humidifier in the chosen space to give every bottle the perfect conditions.
Store Bottles Horizontally
Another vital factor in how to store red wine is the way the bottle is placed in the storage area. For any wine bottles that have corks in them, you should place them horizontally to make sure that the cork stays in contact with the wine at all times. Putting them horizontally stops the cork from drying out, which helps to reduce the risk of air entering the bottle and spoiling the wine. If the cork dries out, it can lose the tight seal that keeps the taste and quality. Even though screw top bottles don’t need to be stored horizontally, they can still benefit from being in this position. This is because horizontal storage is an efficient way for every bottle of wine to give you maximum space and easy access to your collection.
Put Red Wine in a Dark Environment
Red wine should be kept in a dark environment to help protect the flavour, ageing process and the bottles. If you put your red wine collection where there is ultraviolet (UV) light, you can degrade the wine and cause it to age quickly, which means it spoils faster and doesn’t build its full flavour profile. Try to choose a storage space that’s away from direct sunlight and is dark to help every bottle maintain its quality and age flawlessly, giving you full flavour with every sip. You could choose a cellar, a dedicated wine fridge or even a wine cabinet with UV-protected glass doors to ensure that the environment is always dark enough.
Stay Clear of Movement
Vibrations can cause red wine to spoil and can even lead to bottle damage. Because of this, your chosen storage space needs to be away from movement and disruption. Your collection of bottles needs to be hidden away from high-traffic areas of the home to avoid disruption. If your wine collection is stored near a busy area of your home or is at risk of movement, the vibrations can disturb the sediment in the bottles. This disrupts the ageing process and, therefore, the overall quality of the wine. Choose a stable and secure environment that won’t be affected by everyday movement to keep your red wine flavourful.
Choose Storage That Suits Your Needs
A huge part of how to properly store red wine is all about the type of storage you choose and what suits your needs the most. The type of storage you choose will depend on if you want to store the wine for a long time or for a short amount of time. For short-term storage of red wine, find a cool, dark place to store your bottles in and place them in a wine rack. Putting bottles in a wine rack keeps your bottles in pristine condition, as long as you invest in a high-quality rack that is durable and fits every bottle in your collection perfectly. Doing this helps to keep red wine flavourful and at a high quality for a few months.
If you’re looking to store red wine for the long term, such as having bottles in your collection that need to age over several years, it’s best to create a quality storage system that assists every bottle with ageing. This could be creating a bespoke wine room using large, durable wine racks, installing a wine cellar or fridge or even choosing a professional storage space. Choosing this type of storage helps the wine to age beautifully and offers every bottle the best environment to maintain its quality.
How to Store Red Wine After Opening
It can also be confusing to know how to store opened red wine if the bottle hasn’t been fully used. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or enjoying a couple of glasses after a long day, there’s always some wine left in a bottle that needs to be stored correctly. Storing opened red wine is a little bit different to unopened bottles, as once the cork has been popped, it can be hard to prevent air from getting to the wine and spoiling it.
- Reuse the original cork: It’s important to try and plug the bottle after opening with the original cork to preserve what’s left in the bottle. Depending on the type of cork, this can be quite difficult to do, but it’s great to try as this re-seals the opening and keeps the wine in pristine condition.
- Use a wine stopper: If the cork is impossible to put back in, the next best way to preserve the flavours is to use a bottle stopper. These are moulded to fit the opening of a standard wine bottle and are easy to pop in to maintain the quality of the leftover wine.
- Store in a cool, dark place: A key part of how to store red wine after opening is the temperature of the environment you choose. It needs to be cool and dark to optimally preserve the wine. If it’s exposed to heat, it can oxidise quickly and spoil the flavour. Don’t store it in the kitchen where temperatures change. Choose a cool and dark corner of your home.
- Place bottles upright: Unlike unopened bottles of red wine that are best kept horizontally, opened bottles should be stored upright. This helps to prevent the wine from being exposed to the air, which keeps the flavour intact.
- Finish the bottle in a few days: Even though storing the opened bottle in the right way makes the wine last longer once opened, it’s still best to consume it within a few days. Opened bottles of red wine aren’t meant to be stored for a long time as the quality can deteriorate.
How Long to Store Red Wine?
When it comes to how long to store red wine, it can be confusing. This is because different types and qualities of red wine have different lifespans. Some bottles are enjoyable when they’re young, while others need extended ageing. The best way to know how long every bottle in your collection lasts is to research the specific wine to find out its ageing period. However, with proper storage, red wine can typically last for several years to reach its full flavour profile.
Help Store Red Wine Correctly with Cranville
Now you know how to properly store red wine, you can get right to creating the ideal storage space for your collection and enjoy high-quality, flavourful red wine that tickles your tastebuds. Invest in a wine rack that flawlessly fits every bottle of your collection to keep your red wine in pristine condition. At Cranville Wine Racks, we have a wide range of wine racks to offer in a variety of sizes and styles to suit your needs. Whether you’re beginning your red wine collection or are a wine enthusiast with a large collection, you can rely on our durable, stylish wine racks.
