If You’re Not Doing These 4 Things, You’re Storing Your Red Wine Wrong

BrightNest
by BrightNest
Congratulations! You bought a bottle of wine and didn’t drink it all the same night! (You must be an adult.)
Since you’re storing wine now, it’s time to learn the correct way. Sunlight, heat and too much activity can turn even your favorite bottle into undrinkable sludge.
To keep your red wine on point as long as possible, follow these rules:
Keep it Cool


Wine is like Goldilocks. If it gets too hot, it'll be “cooked,” which flattens the flavors. If it's kept too cold, the cork's seal can be broken, which allows air to seep into your bottle and ruins your wine.


Ideally, you want to keep your wine between 45 degrees F and 65 degrees F. Consistency is really important here! Fluctuating temperatures cause the wine to expand and contract, which can eventually damage the cork, and a bad cork means bad wine.


Keep it Dark


We love the sun, but your red wine does not. Have you ever noticed that red wine is often sold in colored bottles? That’s because the color protects the wine from UV rays (kind of like sunglasses). To protect your wine, keep it out of direct sunlight.


If a totally dark room isn’t feasible, incandescent bulbs won’t damage your wine (but they could fade your labels)


Keep it Sideways


Have you ever noticed that wine racks often store bottles sideways? This isn’t a clever space-saving tactic (although it does that, too). Getting some liquid up against the cork will prevent it from drying out, which keeps air out of your wine.


Bottom line here: Happy cork, happy wine-drinker. We like this bamboo rack by Anchor Home because of its modern shape and wallet-friendly price.


Keep it Still


The fear here is that movement will speed up the chemical reaction in your wine and alter the taste. The reality is that damage is only going to happen with significant vibrations, which probably aren’t likely in your home. That being said, if you happen to be storing your wine in a place prone to movement (Like next to a cabinet you open and close all the time) you might want to relocate it!


See the full post, at: http://bit.ly/TheRightWayToStoreWine
BrightNest
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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