The Wine Bottle

Many people hurtle through life at warp speed only to come to its end wondering what it is all about. A few lucky ones have learned the art of quietly (and literally) savoring life so that when it’s about to be over, one feels like he’s lived a thousand years.

If you’re one of those lucky ones, you probably have at home a cellar, or at least iron wall wine racks to hold your hoard of Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Chablis. Yes, wine, as wine never fails to warm the heart, making it very difficult for one to be morose or sad with it around. Some prefer a Robert Mondavi, others a Gallo. Still others would swear Australian wines are the best, while others would tell you it’s South African, Chilean, or French. Specific preferences may vary, but the means of storing wine at home remain the same and are universal.

Not All Wines Should Be Kept.

The length of time a wine may be kept depends on the wine type. Many are of the type which does not keep long, while others can be kept for 20, sometimes 30 years. As a rule of thumb, wine under US$8 would not benefit from long storage. Neither will wine which come in a container other than glass.

Other wines of this kind include Jacob’s Creek, Hardy’s and Gallo, as well as wines from France marked “Nouveau” and “Vin du pays” the German QBA, and all other wines marked “table wine”.”

Keep Only Wines That Have the Potential to Improve Over Time.

While your favorite wine wall decor or grapes wall decor will keep forever, you should seek advice on how long your favorite wine keeps.  As a rough guide, here’s how long the popular ones may be stored:     
Zinfandel 2-7 years
Shiraz 2-15 years
Pinot Noir 2-10 years
Cabernet Sauvignon 2-20 years
Merlot  2-10 years
Chardonnay 2-6 years
Sauvignon blanc 2-4 years
Chenin blanc 2-30 years

Temperature

Your wine racks must be positioned where the temperature doesn’t vary wildly, anywhere between 9 and 15 degrees Celsius, with eleven degrees being the optimal storage temperature.

Humidity

Around 70% would be best; lower it and the cork might dry out, allowing oxygen to get in and turning your wine to vinegar. If the humidity drops too much, it may not hurt the wine, but it can cause the labels to rot, which makes it difficult for you to ascertain which wines are prized and which are not.

Light

If it gets warmer than 25 degrees Celsius, your wine will be rendered unfit for even cooking, let alone to be enjoyed off the wine glass, so keep your treasure trove away from sunlight or any other artificial light.

Vibration

Wine is best stored in a vibration-free surrounding, so place your iron wall wine racks in a basement room.

Equipment

Make sure your iron wall wine racks have compartments big enough for a Champagne bottle. Place these in a place with no access to strong odors.

If you liked this article, you may like this one about adding stylish storage with floor-to-ceiling cubbies.

Tags: storing wines, wall decor, wine racks, wine wall art