From holiday celebrations and special events to intimate dinners and family gatherings, there's something about enjoying a fabulous bottle of wine with the ones you love that can make any occasion feel special. If you're a wine lover, chances are that you enjoy keeping a variety of bottles on hand. Having your favorite bottles ready to go is certainly convenient when hosting guests or relaxing at the end of a long day. But you may wonder how to store a wine collection without a dedicated wine cellar. Check out these tips from Murphy Door to help you do just that.
Keep It Away From Light
When choosing an appropriate space to store your favorite bottles of wine in your home, one of the most important factors to prioritize is darkness. You may love a home that is well-illuminated, but your wine certainly doesn't. Natural and artificial light can alter the taste and aroma of wine; this is why many bottles are made from dark-colored glass. For this reason, picking a storage spot that consistently remains dark is essential.
Control Moisture
Did you know that where you live could impact how your wine should be stored? It's true! If you live in a location where the humidity is naturally high, add a dehumidifier to the room where your wine is stored. This can help prevent mildew. On the other hand, if you have very low humidity, you may need a humidifier in the space. This will help keep your wine corks damp.
Pro tip for how to store a wine collection:
Storing your wine bottles on their sides is another way to ensure the corks don't dry out.
Watch Out for Temperature Changes
It's not just about storing your wine collection in a dark spot with the appropriate level of moisture. Managing the temperature of your bottles is also critical. When wine experiences sharp temperature changes, such as going from a hot car into a cold refrigerator, it can age prematurely. This can change the way it tastes and smells. With this in mind, it's best to choose a spot where the temperature won't fluctuate more than three degrees on any given day.
Rethink the Fridge
For many wine lovers, the refrigerator may seem like a good spot to keep your wine collection safe. But unless you plan on drinking them in the near future, the fridge probably isn't the best place to store wine long-term—for several reasons.
First, the fridge isn't dark; the light that turns on throughout the day as you open it could impact its flavor. Likewise, depending on how often your fridge door opens, the wine could experience temperature fluctuations. It's also probably not a good location if you have children who have free access to your fridge.
Create a Convenient Spot
Even without a wine cellar, it's still possible to create a designated spot in your home to store and display your wine bottles that is convenient, practical, and attractive. One option is a wine cooler. It can keep your wine at a consistent temperature and control light. It also makes wine easy to get to when you need it.
A hidden door solution from Murphy Door can also help keep your wine collection safe and organized while enhancing the style of your home. Our Wine Rack Door includes two adjustable shelves that can hold anywhere from four to eight bottles of wine per shelf. Handsome, functional, and customizable, our Wine Rack Door would make the perfect addition to any wine lover's home. So visit us online to find the right one for you and explore more possibilities of how to store a wine collection!