wine-info

Storage

Storage at Home

There's a lot of unnecessary worry about storing wine. Most wine can easily be stored in this country for a few years as our great British climate means that temperatures rise and fall gradually through the seasons, and there are no extremes of dryness or humidity, which can be very damaging.

Just follow these simple rules:

• Store bottles on their side, to keep the corks damp.
• Put them somewhere moderately dark, free of vibration, and of relatively cool and even temperature (i.e. without sudden fluctuations of heat or cold), out of sunshine, and with no radiators or hot-water pipes nearby. Obviously a cellar is best, but anywhere like a cool cupboard or a room on the north side of a house is fine.

Commercial Storage

Of course, if you have very expensive wine, or alternatively wines for long ageing (e.g. Bordeaux classed growths and Port) then it needs to be cellared or stored properly. A domestic cellar is great, but if you are considering resale in the future do be careful that it isn't too damp: mould-stained labels will detract from the wine's value, although the wine inside won't be harmed at all.

If you are planning to use commercial storage do please take some care: some companies offering such storage only offer above ground, non-air conditioned warehouses. In addition you need to be sure your provider is financially sound, has good systems in place for marking your wine with your name and details, and will still be around in five or ten years time when you want to withdraw your wine. Be prepared to pay £7-10 per case per year. We lean towards recommending Seckfords - see www.seckfordwines.co.uk/wine-storage.asp - as we have heard good reports - but alternatives are Octavian and Vinotheque.   

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