Storage (wine)

Storage of wine is an important consideration for wine that is being kept for long-term aging. While most wine is consumed within 24 hours of purchase, fine wines are often set aside for long-term storage. Wine is one of the few commodities that can improve with age, but it can also rapidly deteriorate if kept in inadequate conditions. The three factors that have the most direct impact on a wine's condition are light, humidity, and temperature. Historically, the storage of wine was handled by wine merchants. Since the mid-20th century, however, consumers have been increasingly storing their own wine in home-based wine cellars.

The three factors that have the most pronounced effect on wine in storage are light, humidity, and temperature.

Strong, direct sunlight or incandescent light can adversely react with phenolic compounds in wine and create potential wine faults. Delicate, light-bodied white wines run the greatest risk from light exposure, and for that reason, they are often packaged in darkly tinted wine bottles that offer some protection from the light. Wines packaged in clear, light green and blue colored bottles are the most vulnerable to light, and may need extra precautions for storage. For example, the Champagne house of Louis Roederer uses cellophane wrap to protect its premium cuvee Cristal from light, the wine being packaged in a clear bottle. In the cellar, wines are stored in corrugated boxes or wooden crates to protect the wines from direct light.

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