Wine is one of God’s gifts to men. It is a wonderful beverage, meant to be enjoyed and shared with friends and family. It is one of tastiest beverages. In order to make sure that wine tastes good, it is very important that you understand the essentials of wine storage. Here are the basics to keeping wine.
KEEP WINE COOL
There is nothing more damaging to wine than heat! When the temperature is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, wine ages prematurely. This, in turn, causes it to taste awful. The ideal temperature range to store wine in is between 45 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
COOL IS GOOD BUT TOO COOL IS HARMFUL
A regular household refrigerator is not ideal for wine storage. The average refrigerator is configured to store perishable goods and other food items. The temperature in a regular fridge can fall below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature this low can cause the wine corks to eventually dry out, thus allowing air to seep into the bottle and ruin the wine.
Wines should never be kept in locations where they could freeze. Wine expands when it turns to ice. When it expands, it may push the cork out of the bottle.
To provide the right temperature for wine, you need a custom wine cellar with a wine cellar refrigeration unit installed. Only a wine cooling unit can provide the right temperature for wine storage with minimal to no fluctuations.
LIGHTS OUT PLEASE!
Ultraviolet light is another enemy of wine. Ultraviolet light degrades the quality of wine by causing premature aging. This is the reason why wine bottles are dark tinted; wine has to be protected from this kind of light. Sunlight and fluorescent lights emit ultraviolet light. LED lights are the best option for custom wine cellars in Miami, Florida.
HUMIDITY MATTERS
Ideally, wines should be kept in a wine cellar in Florida that has a humidity level anywhere between 50 to 80 percent. Too humid of a location can allow mold and mildew formation. Although mold and mildew may not necessarily affect wines that have been sealed properly, it can most certainly damage wine labels. Humidity levels that are too low can dry out corks and cause the oxidation of the wines.
GO SIDEWAYS!
Having your wine bottles rest sideways on your wine racks has two benefits. First, it makes sure that the wines are in constant contact with the corks, to prevent them from drying out. Second, horizontal wine racking saves a lot of space. This is especially good for those who want to store hundreds to thousands of wines.
NO SHAKING
Constant vibrations can be damaging to wines because shaking speeds up many chemical reactions in the wine. This, in turn, causes wine to age prematurely. Keep wines in a wine storage room that protects it from vibration.
Wine Cellars International provides more tips on how to build the perfect wine storage rooms for your beloved wines. They offer various kinds of custom wine cellars in Miami, as well as different designs of wine racks.