Necessity is the mother of invention: this has become particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many event formats now take place digitally. Many organizers of tasting events have also adapted to the circumstances and are offering at-home tastings. Whether it’s whiskey, cheese, or wine—you have a tasting kit sent to your home and then work your way through the selection in front of your screen under expert guidance.
If you end up really liking a wine, you might order a case or two—and then you’re faced with the question: Where to put it? Very few of us have a cobweb-covered wine cellar like the ones you see in movies. But what are the ideal conditions, anyway? Is storing wine properly really that complicated?
Optimal Conditions for Wine Storage
The short answer is: No. As long as you keep a few things in mind, storing fine wines properly isn't rocket science. Did you know that most wines these days are already sold at their optimal drinking maturity?
So it’s a myth that every wine improves with aging. Over 90 percent of today’s wines should be drunk within the first two years. Only certain varieties, such as Beerenauslese or Spätlese, are suitable for long-term aging.
Furthermore, wine is quite forgiving if it is temporarily stored under less-than-ideal conditions. If in doubt, red and white wines can be stored in your home refrigerator for quite some time. However, if you plan to build up a larger collection, it’s worth setting up a wine “cellar”—for example, in a rented storage unit.
Humidity
While 70 percent humidity used to be recommended as optimal for wine storage, today's guidelines are much more flexible. Anything between 50 and 80 percent is acceptable.
In any case, this is primarily relevant for wines with natural corks, since these can dry out or develop mold. In one case, the wine would oxidize over time; in the other, mold spores would get into the wine. Contrary to a still-widespread belief, however, the use of natural corks is not an indicator of quality. More and more wines—including high-quality ones—are being sealed with synthetic corks or screw caps.
Standing or lying down?
Here, too, the cork is key: Bottles with natural corks should always be stored lying down to prevent the cork from drying out. For all other types of closures, storing the bottles upright is fine and has no effect on the wine’s quality.
How to Store Good Wines at Home?
So where is the ideal place to store your wines? The good old wine cellar in the manor house actually offered ideal conditions. If you, too, have a cellar like that—one located entirely underground—congratulations! Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case these days.
new buildings, basements are usually much too warm to properly store wine due to good insulation and heating pipes runIn ning through them. In older buildings, on the other hand, moisture and mold are often a problem. So you’re faced with a choice between temperatures that are too high or humidity that’s too high. On top of that, especially in apartment buildings in urban areas, basements are often inadequately secured against break-ins.
The rooms in the apartment are also usually unsuitable: the kitchen and living room are too warm, and there isn’t enough storage space in the bedroom. One option would be to buy a wine cooler. But even that requires space and electricity, and there’s also the cost of purchasing it.
So there are good reasons to use storage. Self-storage is a convenient and flexible way to keep your home organized without having to give anything up—such as a well-stocked wine collection.
Set up a storage unit nearby to serve as your personal wine cellar
If you want to store large quantities of your favorite wines, renting a storage unit nearby is the perfect solution. In our Self-Storage FAQ, you can learn all about the terms and benefits of your personal storage unit. Or contact us directly by email or phone, and we’ll help you rent the storage unit that’s right for you.
Why is it ideal for storing wine? Here's a quick overview:
- Temperatures remain relatively constant year-round thanks to good ventilation and heated storage areas
- Optimal Humidity
- High theft resistance
- Available to you at any time: 24 hours a day, 356 days a year
