ARTICLE

5 Tips For Wine Storage

December 7, 2023 - 2 min read

If you've ever asked - How long does red wine last? Is a wine fridge worth it? Or - Do I need to keep my wine in a cellar? These top tips for wine storage - from our friends at Vintec, are for you.

Great Australian wines and those from the top wine regions around the world, are created with an obsession for quality at every stage of the production process, but once they've left the vineyard, it's up to us to ensure that they are kept at their best for long-term enjoyment or investment. The wine storage experts at Vintec have shared their top five rules for cellaring your wine collection and these storage rules apply equally to casual enthusiasts who love to share a good bottle of wine with friends, right through to connoisseurs and serious collectors.

1. Maintain Stable Temperatures

Vintec say - stable, constant temperatures are extremely important for wine storage. Daily, weekly and even seasonal temperature changes can affect and alter the taste of wine. In particular temperatures above 25°C can ruin wine within a few weeks and create "spoiled fruit" flavours. When buying a wine fridge, make sure they are built to maintain a stable temperature. Vintec Wine Cellars maintain temperatures thanks to interaction between the compressor and the thermostat, insulated side panels and either double or triple glazed doors.

2. Control Humidity

Maintaining the correct balance between high and low humidity is also essential when considering how to store wine. High humidity can encourage the growth of moulds, and humidity lower than 50% can cause corks to dry out and shrink. Look for a wine cabinet that ensures humidity is kept at the optimal level of 50% or greater. Vintec Wine Cabinets utilise a Thermal Recycling Pump that heats condensed water and releases humid air into the wine cabinet – which is key to maintaining and controlling perfect humidity.

“Temperatures above 25°C can ruin wine within a few weeks and create "spoiled fruit" flavours.”

3. UV Light Protection – Not Just For Skin

UV light is just as damaging for your wine as it is for your body. Vintec advise that all light should be avoided, but did you know that UV light in particular can cause hydrogen sulphide compounds to form in wine, in turn affecting its colour and tannins. Vintec Wine Cabinets feature UV tinted glass doors, dark interiors and LED lights – replicating underground cellaring conditions.

4. Wine Does Not Like Vibrations

Even tiny, almost imperceptible vibrations can cause wine to prematurely spoil and age by speeding up chemical reactions. To protect the quality of your wine, a good wine storage cabinet or cellar should feature an externally housed compressor, rubber shock absorbers and vibration absorbing wooden shelves.

5. Air Circulation

Stale, stagnant air in your wine storage cabinets can encourage mould to grow on corks and labels. When choosing a wine fridge for your home, remember to choose a cabinet that offers constant airflow. Vintec Wine Cellars cater for this with internal and external fans to ensure a slow, reticulated flow of air right throughout the cabinet. And the addition of a carbon filter on larger models keeps the air surrounding your wine fresh at all times.

Shop Wine Cabinets

Vintec 35 Bottle Wine Cabinet

Vintec 50 Bottle Dual Zone Cabinet

Vintec 148 Bottle Wine Cabinet

If you’re passionate about good wine, these tips should help you choose the right Wine Cabinet, Wine Cellar or Beverage Centre for your home, to keep your wine collection at its very best for longer. And, finally the big question – How long does red wine last once opened? Well we’re not sure, as the bottle never seems to last that long once it’s uncorked! Cheers!

Shop all the best wine cabinets in-store or online at The Good Guys.