While the last two months have forced us to remain in our homes more, it has also shifted where and how we spend our weekly budgets, especially in the areas of food and beverage. To reduce trips out and minimize contact with others, we naturally have bought more at one time from local grocery stores, farms and restaurants offering takeout. For many people, trips out have also included stocking up on their favorite wine (or an alternative) for pairing with at-home dinners. Like the food supply chain, the beverage supply chain has been affected greatly and some of your “go-to” selections may be sold out at your local beverage shop. Turn that into an opportunity to try a new selection.
We give great thought to how to protect our perishable foods, and we should do the same for the wine that we’re stocking up on, whether it’s $10 a bottle or $50 a bottle. Wine, like food, is perishable and is affected by many things, such as temperature, specifically variations in temperature. Most wine is meant to be consumed within one to two years of the date on the label. It is important to consider where and how you will store your extra wine, and it’s even more crucial as the weather changes from cold to warm.
The main factors that can affect the quality of your wine are temperature, humidity, light and vibration. While not everyone has the desire or the money to build a temperature- and humidity-controlled area in their home, a few simple tips can help protect your wine:
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Temperature: The biggest factor to consider is dramatic temperature differences, not as much the exact temperature. If your home is subject to considerable temperature changes between day and night or summer and winter, your wine will be affected. Wine should ideally be stored in an area where the daily temperature does not change by more than several degrees. Kitchens are the worst areas in which to store wine because of the heat that circulates around from the oven and other appliances. A kitchen can easily fluctuate more than 10 degrees. No matter how attractive or cheeky the labels on a bottle are, the kitchen is no place for these beauties. Neither is your car.
It is important to consider where and how you will store your extra wine.
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Humidity: Some humidity is good to prevent a cork from drying out. But overly high humidity for a prolonged period can cause a host of issues, including mold, specifically along the cork. Also, an area that lacks any humidity – too dry – can cause the cork to dry out, become brittle and disintegrate. Thus, allowing air to seep in and oxidize the wine.
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Light: Exposure to direct or strong light, including artificial and sunlight, is not good. Make sure you have a specific area – maybe a basement, closet – in which to store your wine so that the noon sun is not shining in on it. Also make sure overhead lights are not beaming down on your wine, and don’t leave it sitting on the counter underneath of the under-cabinet lights.
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Vibration: Keeping wine stable and still is important, but more so for wines that you are going to store for an extended period. A rack on top of a counter, over a dishwasher, or next to a furnace that goes on and off continually is not recommended.
If you do not have a wine refrigerator or cellar, don’t worry; most people don’t. To ensure your vino maintains its level of quality, find an area in your home where the temperature can be relatively consistent (between 55-65 degrees), has a decent amount of humidity, is dark and free of vibration. Then you will be well on your way to enjoying it when the time comes.
Jessica Norris Granatiero is the founder of The Savory Grape, a wine, beer and spirits shop in East Greenwich.