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Wine is a drink enjoyed by the people worldwide. Though they collect the bottles from the local store, the people are oblivious to the way it should be stored. A bottle of red wine must be always protected from the direct sunlight, humidity and heat to retain its flavor.

Best ways for storing red wine

This article tries to pin point some of the basic steps to be followed for a connoisseur of wine to preserve its flavor.

Before opening the bottle

Proper care must be taken to store the wine away from the light as exposure to sunlight or artificial light and heat causes the wine to age prematurely and oxidizes it. Similarly if wine is kept in too humid a room, mold and mildew might get formed on the bottle. A room that is not humid enough causes the cork to dry up, resulting in the entry of air into the bottle leading to oxidization and premature ageing of the wine. It is therefore, vital to store the wine at the right temperature. Keeping the wines stored in the colored bottles at a constant temperature ranging from 68 to 73 degree Fahrenheit and a humidity around 70% is ideal.

The bottle should be placed on their sides as leaving them upright causes the cork to dry up, eventually letting the air in, thus spoiling the wine. Keeping it sideways also helps in the easy detection of the formation of sediments that might have formed over the period.

The best place to store the wine is the cellar as it can avoid the contact from direct sunlight and retain the temperature. However, if the wine is to be aged for more than a year, refrigeration is a must in most parts of the world on account of the variations in the temperature.

Care should be taken to avoid unnecessary movements of the bottle as it has a negative impact on the wine.

After opening

Right before the opening of the bottle, the temperature should be adjusted in accordance to the type of red wine. For example, a blush or rose should be kept at 46-57 degree Fahrenheit, light red wine at 55 and deep red wines at 59-66 F. Once opened, keep it closed tight with the cork and place the bottle in a dark place. While normal red wines can retain the taste for a couple of days, a port wine can resist degradation for 3-5 days.

In short, red wine tastes best only if it is stored at the right temperature.