If you are one who enjoys the subtle tastes of wines, you will also want to know how to store your wine to preserve its quality and flavor.

Although most of us do not have wines of sufficient value and quality to face having to store them for years until they reach maturity and excellence, some of us do. The rest of us may end up with a bottle of wine that deserves special treatment, or have occasion to preserve a bottle of wine that has significance. For instance, a young couple might be given a wedding present of wine that will mature at the time of their twenty-fifth anniversary. Such a bottle will need careful handling.

Wine, which is fermented grape juice, is crafted rather than produced. It is carefully blended for flavor, color, and aroma, and wine makers pride themselves on the quality of their product. There are competitions held all over the world, and the gold medal winners proudly display the awards on their labels. It behooves those who drink the wine to show it as much respect.

Even the less important vintages most of us have at home will respond to proper treatment. Do not expose wine to direct sunlight or fluorescent light. Store it in a cool, dark place where it can remain undisturbed until you will open and decant it. If it will be left for a week or more, it is a good practice to store it on its side, pointing downward a little so the inner cork will stay moist. This helps to keep the seal airtight.

It is important that the cork in a wine bottle never be allowed to dry out. Wine should be stored lying on its side, so the cork will be moistened from within. The humidity of a house is generally high enough to suit wine that is held for only a matter of weeks. Longer storage should be in a humidity-controlled environment, on a cellar or cooler or specialty cabinet.

Once a wine bottle has been opened, the wine will be exposed to air. This can mellow the flavor at first but will change it if allowed to go on for too long. For this reason, you may want to invest in a wine stopper and pump, which will draw off the air in the bottle and keep more air from seeping in. In any case, the bottle should be stopped completely, with its original cork or another stopper, and placed in a dark place if red and in the refrigerator if white. It should be used within two days for best results.

Wines does not go bad even if its flavor becomes harsh, so it may be used in cooking. Dessert wines will last longer than table wine in an opened state. To keep wine away from light, it may be wrapped in a cloth or placed in a cupboard where it will not get warm. Short term storage does not require the attention to constant temperature and humidity that is necessary to keep wine for long periods.

The knowledge is useful, whether you actually want to age wine at home or protect your investment, or you just want to be conversant with the lore of wine. You will know how to protect your investment, whether it is a bottle of supermarket quality or a rare vintage.

For those of you that are big o wine, we have some wine cellar racks that you may be interested in. These are not your average cellar racks.

Posted under Wine