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20.09.2023

How and Where to Store Wine at Home

How and Where to Store Wine at Home

Gastronomy lovers take care to pair their food with wine also when eating at home. Since not everyone has wine coolers and cabinets at home, one of the most useful and simple solutions is to buy wine as needed. While shopping for fresh ingredients for our kitchen, we can simultaneously purchase wines from wine shops as well. We choose wines that we are familiar with, or we seek the assistance of excellent consultants when looking for new inspiration.

However, sometimes we visit winemakers on excursions or longer trips and buy top-quality wines to bring back home. Exceptional wines can also be obtained as gifts and kept for special occasions. Perhaps we simply want to ensure stocks of selected wines. In such cases, we ask ourselves how and where to store wine at home. Despite having a wine cellar at Medot, we also find ourselves faced with the same questions in various circumstances for domestic use.

Wine is a work of art!
Wine is a work of art!

Improperly stored wine in a home environment affects its quality. The fundamental characteristics of the wine can be altered, the wine may completely lose its character, or typical faults may occur. The basic conditions that need to be ensured on home shelves are related to temperature, light, and bottle orientation. We have gathered some basic tips that, if followed, will allow you to preserve wine at the desired level for a longer period:

  • Maintain a stable temperature without significant fluctuations.

Store wine at home in places where the temperature is stable and there are no large temperature variations. The ideal temperature is between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. If the temperature is too high, the wine will lose its freshness, and if it is too low and the wine freezes, it will be ruined.

  • Avoid exposing wine to strong natural or artificial light.

You can choose a suitable environment in any room in the house or apartment, but avoid places exposed to direct lighting from lamps or strong sunlight, such as windows or balconies. Wine that has been exposed to strong light will appear aged.

  • Do not store wine next to appliances that cause vibrations.

Long-term exposure to vibrations can harm the wine, so do not store it directly next to appliances that cause vibrations, such as dishwashers, washing machines, air conditioners, or refrigerators.

  • The horizontal position is important only for wines with cork stoppers, while bottles with screw caps can be stored upright.

The cork stopper must remain in contact with the wine to maintain humidity. If the cork dries out, oxygen will enter the bottle, causing changes in the color and taste of the wine due to oxidation.

The best place to store wine is dark, cool, and dry. Typically, the cellar is a suitable space for this, preferably in the boxes or cases in which you purchased the wine. However, even if you don't have a cellar or it is unsuitable, you can find a suitable place using these tips to keep your favorite wine at the desired level of quality. At Medot, we store wine in our cellar, where we have a well-organized wine archieve that we would be happy to show you during one of our wine tastings with a tour of the cellar.

When it comes to aging wine, it is best to inquire about the aging potential and peak drinking time at the time of purchase. Advisors will also be able to tell you when to expect the chosen wine to reach its peak. If you cannot obtain this information, for example, because you received or purchased the wine online, you can check descriptions in wine guides, which usually include information about the aging potential. Alternatively, you can search for the wine's technical sheet and more detailed information on the winemaker's website, where such information is usually provided. You can find such descriptions for all Medot wines on our website. Then, let yourself be inspired, embrace life, and seize the opportunities to actually open the bottle.

Which wines are not meant for aging?

  • Fresh wines are meant to be consumed immediately and are not intended for aging. However, this still means that you should store them properly until you open the bottle, as they can quickly become damaged, especially if exposed to heat or frost.

  • Classic sparkling wines are meant to be enjoyed when the winemaker prepares them for the market. They are not intended for further aging. The aging process takes place in the bottle for several years, but once the sparkling wines are disgorged, it is time to consume them. You can read more about this fascinating process of producing classic sparkling wines in our blog: The romance of Champagne procedures or everything you wanted to know about disgorgement, where you will also find a formula to calculate until when it is recommended to consume the sparkling wine. Medot sparkling wines are known for their extended aging in the bottle, at least 4 years, and even 7 years or more for vintage sparkling wines. We recommend enjoying the sparkling wine shortly after disgorgement, especially if you trust the prestigious label concept of "Recently Disgorged" (R.D.), which was introduced by one of the most important Champagne houses under the leadership of the famous Madame Lilly Bollinger, as early as 1961.

Wine is a work of art!
Wine is a work of art!

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