Proper Wine Storage:
- In a Single-Zone Refrigerator. If you plan to use a single-zone refrigerator for your various red and white wines, a temperature of 54 degrees Fahrenheit is best.
- In a Dual-Zone Refrigerator. ...
- Adjust the Temperature Gradually, When Necessary. ...
- Store Opened Bottles of White Wine. ...
- Keep the Refrigerator Closed. ...
- Avoid Oxidization. ...
- Avoid Moving the Bottles. ...
Full Answer
What should you put in your wine fridge?
Your wine fridge should hold the wine YOU want to drink. Don't go out and buy a bunch of things because some magazine or the points on some shelf-talker told you to: taste as much as you can and buy the wine you like. Otherwise, you're risking your hard-earned money on something that might disappoint you.
What happens if you store wine on its side in fridge?
The wine racks in wine refrigerators are designed to store wine bottles on their sides. If the bottles are left standing, the corks will dry out and let air in, spoiling the wine. Avoid Moving the Bottles
What is the best way to store wine?
While wine cellars are the best option for storing wine and are ideal for those with an extensive wine collection, wine coolers are affordable and adequate for those with a small collection of wines. Tweet Proper Wine Storage: In a Single-Zone Refrigerator
What is the best temperature for a wine refrigerator?
Dual-zone wine refrigerators can store two types of wine at two different temperatures. Set one compartment at a temperature between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit for red wine and set the other between 45 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit for white wine.
How do you stock a new wine fridge?
For the Host, entertaining is key, whether it's dinners for six or parties for 60. If this sounds like you, stock your fridge with a trio of “house wines”—one white, one red and one sparkling—and buy them by the case (12 bottles), since most stores offer a case discount of 10 or 15 percent.
What should I put in my wine fridge space?
A wine fridge is perfect for chilling bottled water, soda, sparkling water, juice, energy drinks, lemonade, and even other alcoholic beverages like beer and wine coolers.
How do you put wine in a wine fridge?
Replace the cork or use a wine stopper, then place it vertically in your fridge. You can also invest in a simple vacuum stopper kit, which will remove oxygen from the bottle to seal in flavors and keep your wine fresh. Your wine should last from 2-5 days, depending on the variety, so be sure to enjoy it before then.
Should red wine be stored in a wine fridge?
The simple answer is yes. While it may be more common to chill light reds roses etc., but some full-bodied red wines will also take well to a chill provided they aren't too tannic.
Can I store potatoes in a wine fridge?
Potato says potatoes should store well in a wine cellar, comparing them to conditions in a potato storage shed. “Potatoes store best in cool but not cold (42° to 45° F is ideal, but 55° F is cooler than where most people store at home).”
Can you store vegetables in a wine fridge?
Dual-zone wine refrigerators are ideal for properly storing fruits and vegetables as they have separate compartments that can isolate based on temperature, as well as ensure fruits and vegetables that contain ethylene (a gas that some fruits and vegetables emit and can quicken ripening and thus spoilage) are properly ...
How long does wine last in wine fridge?
If you're wondering how long wine can last after opening, a bottle of white or rosé wine should be able to keep going for at least two to three days in the fridge, if using a cork stopper. But it varies depending on the style involved. Some wine styles may last for up to five days after opening.
How do you set up a wine cooler?
How do I adjust the temperature on my wine cooler? UP and DOWN triangles with "+" and "-" symbols. Use the button with a triangle pointed up to raise the temperature in 1-degree increments. Use the button with a triangle pointed down to lower the temperature in 1-degree increments.
What temperature should white wine be stored at in a wine fridge?
between 45-50 degrees FahrenheitServing white wines between 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit will give you the best flavor profile possible for these types of wines. This is why it's also important not to store your white wines in your traditional refrigerator. Typical household refrigerators will keep your food at around 35-37 degrees.
What is the point of a wine fridge?
According to Into Wine, a wine fridge, like regular fridges for food, keep the humidity low—usually below 50 percent. “This lower humidity can dry out corks over time and shrink them, allowing oxygen to enter the bottle and reduce the quality of the wine,” says Into Wine.
Is it worth getting a wine fridge?
Not only will your wine refrigerator preserve your wine until you are ready to drink it, but it can keep your wine at the ideal serving temperature so, you will always have ready to drink wine bottles. There's nothing worse than having guests over and having to scramble to quickly chill a bottle of wine to serve.
Does wine go bad in a wine cooler?
'If the cork is not perfect (and many corks are not), then it may happen that a little wine presses through the cork to the outside. Now there is a liquid bridge between inside and outside, which over time (several months or longer) can bring oxygen to the inside. If this happens the wine may go bad. '
Wine Fridge Stocking Strategies for the Home Cook
First, figure out what types of food you cook frequently, and fill half the refrigerator with bottles that will pair well. In the rest of the space, stock impulse purchases and all-purpose wines for parties.
Wine Fridge Stocking Strategies for the Host
If you plan on having three house wines (a red, a white and a sparkling), buy them by the case; that accounts for 36 bottles in the fridge. If you want more variety, as below, adjust the numbers down a bit.
Wine Fridge Stocking Strategies for the Aspiring Wine Geek
Plan on filling the wine refrigerator with lots of different wines, but always buy multiples of wines meant for aging. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck trying to figure out when the perfect moment to open it might be.
What to Buy
If you’re an established wine enthusiast, you already know what to do. It’s just a matter going out there and grabbing the most interesting wines you can find and adding them to your collection.
What Are The Best Wines For a Foodie?
If you’re buying wine for a foodie, make sure it’s a quality wine. Foodies pay attention to detail and they care about quality – a lot.
What Wine Is Best For Your Wine Cooler?
Start filling your wine cooler with your personal favorites – as well as the favorites of those with whom you share your living space.
What Are The Best Wines To Share?
The best wines to share of all are the wines that you’ve discovered and loved the most. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
Do You Need a Cellar at All?
A wine cellar serves a few purposes. We won't be talking about wine as a financial investment here—for us, wine is for drinking, not selling. Having a cellar means that you have on hand that you want to drink, without having to go shopping.
Where Should Your Cellar Be?
"The in-home wine cellar is the raided-at-the-end-of-every-dinner-party wine cellar"
How Much to Buy
Most wine pros recommend buying at least three bottles of anything you want to cellar. "Don't buy one bottle at a time. You'll never drink them. And if one is corked it will be the saddest day of your life, having toted around that useless time-bomb of misery around with you for years.
Check Yourself
While wine experts can recommend general categories of wine that will develop nicely with age, before you go all out on a cellar-stocking spree, you should do a little self-reflection. Importer Terry Theise urges: "Think hard about how and what you actually eat at home.
Basic Qualities You're Looking For
What wines are worth storing for years before you drink? To over-simplify, it comes down to acid and structure. A cellarable wine doesn't need to be a super-expensive bottle: in fact, a producer's simple entry-level wine might be a haunting bombshell after a decade.
Red Wines to Cellar
It's rare to find a wine fanatic who doesn't hoard Nebbiolo. But not all bottlings age the same. "Beware of oaky, ripe Barolo crus and anything over 14% ABV," says Alex Finberg. "Often an estate's 'normale' releases and or cheaper Nebbiolo from Alba or the Langhe are better for the cellar: higher acid, lower alcohol and oak.
And Other Cellar-Worthy Wines
Of course, there are more great wines to cellar than those listed above. Some of our advisors cellar Bordeaux and wines from the Northern Rhone such as Saint Joseph. Others sock away Jura wines, Cru Beaujolais, Assyrtiko from Greece, and Semillon from Australia. Sweet and fortified wines are their own world of exploration.
How long can you keep wine in a dual zone refrigerator?
Store red wines for up to ten years and white wines for up to three years.
What is a wine cooler?
Wine refrigerators, also known as wine coolers, are made to chill wine to the perfect temperature. These tips will ensure your wines are stored properly. Wine refrigerators, also known as wine coolers, are made to chill wine to the perfect temperature.
How to keep wine corks moist?
Avoid Oxidization. Always store corked wine bottles on their sides to keep the corks moist.
Can you keep wine in a refrigerator?
Regular refrigerators are subject to constant activity, which causes the temperature to fluctuate. This is not appropriate for wine, which must be stored at a constant temperature. While wine cellars are the best option for storing wine and are ideal for those with an extensive wine collection, wine coolers are affordable ...
1. Start With Food Pairings
Not sure what wines you might like best? A good way to choose is to start with wines that pair with your favorite foods. A good Chianti pairs nicely with many Italian dishes, a Sauvignon blanc (especially fruitier ones) drinks well with Mexican cuisine, a Lambrusco goes well with glazed ham, and so on.
2. Stick to a Budget
Decide how much you want to spend on wine and keep a different budget for different wine choices. A weeknight dinner wine you might limit to $10 to $20 per bottle, but for a special weekend wine for dinner, you might splurge and spend $30 or more.
3. Keep a Wine Journal
No matter how much you enjoy wine, unless you have a photographic memory you will never be able to remember all the wines you’ve drunk in your life. The easy solution? Keep a wine journal.
4. Host Your Own Wine Tasting
Invite friends over and ask everyone to bring a bottle of a particular type of wine within a certain price range. Taste wines side by side to learn about subtle differences between regions or wineries. Read each label to see how the wine is described, so you can understand and spot specific wine terms you can look for the next time you purchase.
5. Experience Wineries
If you’re buying wines that you’ll really like to drink, it helps to taste wines where they are produced. At vineyards, you can learn from experts in the industry surrounded by the main ingredient of wine – grapes – and the immersive experience of tasting wine at a winery is a special experience.
6. Choose Good Quality Wines with Value
While your local grocery store will likely have several inexpensive wines for less than $10 bottle, you should often prioritize value for money over sheer low price. If you’re looking to grow your wine knowledge, you should look for interesting wines that are still within your budget. One way to do that is to buy wines from less well-known regions.
7. Buy By a Mixed Case
A handy tip to save money on wine while stocking your wine fridge on a budget is to purchase by the case instead of by the bottle. This way you’ll likely be offered a discount. Many shops offer mixed cases of 12 bottles at a 10% discount, and this way you can stock your fridge with several different varietals instead of only one type of wine.
What is the most important tool in a wine bar?
The Most Important Wine Bar Tools. A Wine Opener: There are a wide variety of wine openers to choose from. The most pragmatic is a Swiss army knife wine opener. This usually includes a worm (which is a corkscrew), a lever, and even a foil cutter.
What is the best wine to drink with chicken?
This is a tart, herbal, fruit flavor wine that pairs well with chicken, pork, and fish. Pinot Grigio: Also called Pinot Gris, this is a dry, light-bodied white wine that was first popular in Italy but is now spread throughout France and Germany as well. This is a light wine that is easy to drink.
What is the difference between Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay?
It has a spicy, bourbon note with zesty apple and citrus flavors. Sauvignon Blanc: Sauvignon Blanc is a dry, white wine that was first planted in France.
What wine pairs well with lamb?
It pairs well with lamb and beef. Zinfandel: This is a type of red wine from Croatia. It’s a spicy, fruit-forward wine that has a medium finish. There’s also a pink variation of this wine called White Zinfandel. Chardonnay: Chardonnay is a dry white wine that was planted in large quantities in France.
Can you pour wine into a decanter?
Pouring your wine into a decanter will make sure there’s a healthy dose of oxygen . A Wine Preserver: Finally, you need to make sure that you invest in a series of wine preservers. Some of the most popular wine preservers include vacuum pumps, oxygen-absorbing bottle stoppers, and Argon gas systems. Make sure you have the right tools to preserve ...
Wines to age longer
These are usually higher priced red wines that have the structure to age well, like:
Here are a few final tips
If you find a wine you love and it claims to be age-worthy, buy 6 to 12 bottles and uncork one every few months. See how it changes and if you like those changes.
How long can you keep wine bottles upright?
With that said, it is okay to store your wine upright for a short amount of time, which is why many some convenient or liquor stores can get away with it; they are banking on a timely sale of the bottles. I wouldn’t recommend keeping bottles upright for more than a few weeks.
Why is wine important?
It’s important to keep it somewhere convenient and easily accessible, ever at the ready to be retrieved and opened.
Why does my tomato shrivel up in the refrigerator?
Notice, how the tomato shrivels up in the span of just a day or so? This is because, unlike a wine refrigerator, your kitchen refrigerator removes humidity as it cools. Corks must remain moist in order to do their job properly. A dried out cork leads to a musty smelling, “corked” wine.
Can you keep wine in the refrigerator?
Many people think the way to remedy the temperature conundrum is to keep their wine in the refrigerator, but unless you are using a wine refrigerator , this can be equally harmful. Your average kitchen refrigerator is not only too cold for your wine, stunting its development, but it also dries out the wine’s cork.
Is it safe to age wine in a light bulb?
This may not be the case for everyone, but if it is true, this definitely is not a good place for your wine to be. Light bulbs give off lots of heat and can prematurely age your wine.
Can you keep wine chilled?
DO: Keep your wine chilled. Yes, the average room temperature is too warm to both serve and store your wine. The warmer the ambient temperature, the quicker the wine will age and go bad. If you’ve ever left a bottle of wine in your car during the summer and then wondered why it tasted like pure alcohol or maybe even a little vinegar-like, ...
Is it good to light wine?
Your average household lighting gives off heat, which as we now know, is not good. Sunlight and UV Rays are even worse for your wine. Keep your wine away from windows or other sources of natural light. Your best bet for a light source is LED. LED lighting creates a soft glow without giving off any heat.
