How To Optimally Store Fine Wine

Fine wine is a precious commodity that must be given special care when stored. Wine is made from crushed and fermented grape juice and is best kept in a wine rack that positions the wine properly. All fine wine that is bottled with a cork stopper should be stored on its side to keep the wine in contact with the cork and prevent any oxygen from entering the bottle. Here are some effective wine racks that you can purchase to help you keep your wine in optimal condition: 

Wooden Shelf Wine Rack:  This wine rack can be as simple as a plain wooden shelf with holes drilled through it at a steep enough angle to hold your wine bottles upside down. This position will make sure that the corks in the wine bottles are continually in contact with the wine, sealing them away from any oxygen in the surrounding air. These wooden shelf wine racks can be mounted and stacked together on a wall with just enough clearance to place a bottle in the wine rack for storage and take it out when it is to be consumed. 

Canvas Sling Wine Rack:  This wine rack is made entirely of looped canvas cloth that is installed on a wall and secured with small horizontal slats of wood. This installation creates horizontal canvas pouches that hold all wine bottles on their side. Wine bottles can be slipped in or out of either side of a canvas sling wine rack. For easy identification, keep all of the same brands and vintages of wine in your sling wine rack or keep a written list of the bottles in the rack in one of the slings. 

Diamond-Shaped Wine Rack:  Another effective wine rack is made of interconnected wooden shelves that are mounted on a wall at 45º angles to each other. This configuration creates diamond-shaped spaces in which you can stack 6-12 bottles of wine in each space. This type of wine rack stores all of your wine bottles on their sides. If desired, you can also install wooden or glass hinged doors on this type of wine rack to keep your wine safe and free of dust.

Under Stairs Wine Rack:  Many people have stairs in their residence leading to a second floor. The space underneath a stairway is perfect for installing one or more small wine racks to hold your wine collection horizontally. These wine racks can be installed as a stack of shelves with curved notches on the front and back of each shelf to cradle the wine bottles and hold them in position. Wine bottles are easily placed in this type of wine rack and easily removed when you wish to drink them. 

The only other condition that must be observed in order to keep your wine collection at its best is to make certain that your bottles remain at a constant temperature range between 45° F and 65° F with 55º F being optimal. To do this, keep your wine racks away from a stove or heater of any kind and also keep them away from any windows that directly access the outdoors. With properly placed and installed small wine racks, you can keep your wine collection in perfect drinking condition for many years.