It’s common knowledge that many varieties of wine improve with age. Many vintages are stored for years before they even grace the shelves or are available for sale, though others aren’t cellared or aged. Fine wines, on the other hand, can come with specific storage instructions.

For even casual wine drinkers, the way wines are stored and reserved should be considered after you bring it home. Follow these tips to ensure your wines are properly stored and will not spoil prematurely.

Avoid Sunlight 

Sunlight can cause the amino acids in wine to oxidize, changing the flavors, and often giving it a funny smell. When this occurs, the wine has become “lightstruck”. Direct sunlight, indirect sunlight, and even fluorescent light can spoil your wine–especially if it is bottled in a clear glass container.

Wines appreciate a cool, dry storage space to best preserve their taste. If you don’t have a wine cellar or appropriately dark space to store your wine, store bottles in a box or lightly wrap them in cloth. If you are considering options to build a wine cellar or wine cabinet, do a little research into UV-resistant glass or doors to block out any damaging light.

Cooler Heads Prevail

Aside from light, higher temps and humidity levels can also spoil the wine. Choose a storage location that is between 45 and 65 degrees and has a humidity level around (and not higher than) 70. Higher humidity levels can not only spoil wine but can lead to mold growth. Fluctuating temperatures and seasonal changes can also affect your wine, so keep temps and humidity levels constant.

Lay Corked Bottles on Their Side

Storing a corked bottle of wine upright causes the cork to dry out. sure, \it may make the most sense to save space in your cupboard, but dried corks can allow air to infiltrate the bottle, leading to spoiled wine.

Not all Vintages are Meant to be Aged

Contrary to what you might think, not all wine is intended to age. Many wines you buy at your local stores are intended to be stored for no more than a year or two. As a rule of thumb, red wines can last up to three years in the bottle, while whites are best sored no more than one or two years.

Your fridge can be another issue when storing wine -especially in the longer term. You may be supposed to learn that many bottles of wine should not be stored in the fridge for more than a couple of days. Each time the compressor in your fridge kicks on, it causes vibrations that can damage your wine and alter its chemical structure. After a bottle has been opened, do not store it in the fridge for more than three days.

At Infusion Spiral, we enjoy helping our customers create delicious wines and spirits. It’s also important to us that the flavors you create last as long as possible! Follow these tips for storing your favorite wines.