While most of the food and beverages we consume taste best when fresh, wine is quite a different story. Wine needs time to age to bring out the flavor. Anyone that drinks and serves wine must be able to store it properly. Not only does this maximize the taste of each bottle of wine, but it also prevents it from going sour when stored for a lengthy amount of time.

For personal use, a small wine rack and wine cooler are recommended. Businesses such as restaurants and wine distributors often rent special climate-controlled lockers for their wine storage needs. These off-site lockers are an affordable alternative to the costs of building and maintaining temperature-controlled storage areas and walk-in coolers, especially when limited space is available. But whether you are a small-time hobbyist or a large business, these wine storage principals apply to everyone:

1. Wine needs to be stored horizontally

Many people mistakenly store their wine in an upright position. After all, when a bottle is standing vertically, it fits into the refrigerator or cupboard better, and won’t accidentally roll around when on the shelf. However, while most beverages are stored this way, it doesn’t work for wine.

It all comes down to the cork. The cork is what seals the bottle and preserves the wine. For the cork to be able to do its job, it needs to remain moist.  When a cork dries out, it starts to let in air which ruins the bottle of wine. By laying … Read More ...