About Wine Storage
For as long as wine has been produced, wine sellers and drinkers have sought the best way to preserve it in storage. While most wine is meant to be enjoyed shortly after being offered for sale, other varieties gain value and see an increase in quality over time. The proper storage technique is dependent upon the needs of the particular wine and the options available to the consumer.
Storing Open Wine
One of the most obvious needs for wine storage is when a bottle has been opened, but not fully consumed. The presence of air can vastly affect the quality of wine in a matter hours. Restaurants or wine sellers may attempt to slow the deterioration of a high-quality wine that has been opened by resealing it in its bottle after compressing the wine with nitrogen gas. The nitrogen forces out the air in the bottle, which will affect the wine much more quickly than the nitrogen. Still, wine preserved using this complicated and costly method will only retain its characteristics for a few days. Many casual consumers of wine may simply elect to plug the bottle using a cork or specially designed wine stopper (usually a metal or glass plug with a rubber seal). This traps the air in the bottle without allowing more air to circulate in, and is only useful for short-term storage.
Intent of Storage
Longer term storage is intended to keep wine away from the major factors that will hurt its quality. These factors are light, humidity and extreme temperature. Strong light can alter the chemical composition of wine, causing a change in taste, aroma and texture. Likewise, heat can cause drastic changes in the wine inside the bottle. Freezing temperatures may cause the elements of the wine to separate, as the water content begins to freeze. Humidity can pose a problem if the cork becomes dry and brittle, affecting airflow into (and out of) the bottle. Other inconsistencies, such as vibration, can also impact the stability of wine over long periods of time.
Solutions
Many of the key factors affecting wine can be avoided by storing wine in a cellar where darkness is constant and temperatures remain low to moderate. The ideal temperature for storing wine is generally noted as 50 to 55 degrees F, though opinions vary and certain varieties are thought to be better preserved at colder or warmer temperatures. Wine can also suffer from the presence of other food items in the immediate vicinity, especially those with especially pungent aromas. Cellars offer a neutral setting in this regard as well.
The WIne Bottle
The wine bottle itself is an important step in wine storage. Bottles with a curved bottom are intended to prevent sediment from collecting at the base of the bottle over time. Likewise, storing wine on its side, and even rotating bottles on a regular basis, keeps the contents chemically consistent. Storing wine bottles on their sides (or, in some cases, upside down, or at an angle) also keeps with wine in contact with the cork, thus keeping the cork moist. The orientation of the air bubble inside the bottle, known as the ullage, is also a factor in storage. Keeping the ullage near the top of the bottle (by not storing wine perfectly horizontal) slows the process of oxidation and allows the wine to mature more gradually.
Corks
Wine has traditionally been bottled with a wooden cork that allows small amounts of air to enter and leave the bottle over extended periods of time. The air continually oxidizes the wine, bringing it to maturity. In recent years, synthetic corks have grown in popularity. These prevent the slow air flow that natural corks are meant to foster. Winemakers wishing to preserve the wine in the bottle at the same state as it was in when deemed ready for consumption, may opt to use a synthetic cork or even a metal screw top. While the screw top was once stigmatized as a sign of low-quality wine, many notable wineries around the world now use the screw top to maintain the consistency of their wine longer, even if proper storage procedures are not followed.
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