Improve Your Wine Storage with These Tips
Improve Your Wine Storage with These Tips
A personal wine collection is the hidden gem of every aficionado’s home. With so many unique flavors and combinations that speak directly to you and your tastes, it’s truly irreplaceable. Like all precious things, your wine collection needs protection and the best way to preserve its flavor and value is to store it properly.
Not all of us have the space or capacity to build a proper wine cellar, but we do have easy access to a possible alternative: self storage. Here are 4 tips for improving your wine storage with Iron Guard storage units!
1. Maintain the right temperature and humidity levels
Wine is as sensitive as it is sensual and dramatic changes in temperature or humidity can compromise its overall flavor. In general, wine should be stored at a temperature around 50-60 F (10-15 C) with average humidity levels. These conditions should stay constant as fluctuations can cause the cork to expand or shrink and damage the integrity of the bottle. Not to mention the effects of accidentally freezing your wine or getting it so hot that the compounds separate entirely.
When it comes to wine storage, a climate-controlled storage unit can be a fantastic option. You can set the temperature and humidity conditions in your unit and then rest easy knowing those levels will be consistently maintained all the time. That means no more worrying about your wine getting too cold in the basement or your spouse cranking up the furnace too high in the winter, just a constant, calm storage environment where your wine can age uninterrupted.
2. Avoid Light and Vibrations
Light and vibration are the second biggest threats to your wine storage. If possible, you will want to avoid both of them entirely. Light can actually change the chemical composition of your wine, causing it to age prematurely. Your wine can also be greatly disturbed by even small vibrations like from a nearby washing machine or stereo. These vibrations are just powerful enough to break up the sediment in your wine, causing it to disperse throughout the bottle and drastically change its overall flavor.
With storage units, your bottles can be completely shielded from any UV rays since there are no windows. This means the only time they will see any sun is when you open your unit to grab a bottle. They also are a safe space to avoid many of the common household vibrations from using appliances regularly.
3. Use a Wine Shelf
The best way to store wine is horizontally. This ensures the cork stays moist and protects the integrity of the bottle.
One of the best ways to ensure your wine storage is set up correctly is to install some wine shelves or cubbies in your storage unit. This will give you a safe method for storing many bottles and help you maximize your available storage space. It also will help you stay organized so you can easily find your favorite bottle when you need it.
4. Go the extra mile
When it comes to wine storage, you can never have too much protection. If you want to really protect your wine storage, you can go the extra mile by wrapping each bottle in bubble wrap to help protect it from any sudden jolts or movements. This also will help protect them during travel as you move them into your storage unit. Another way you can give your wine collection a little extra protection is to cover your bottles with a blanket. This will help shield them from sunlight leaking in as you open your storage unit door and help block any small vibrations caused by you opening and closing the storage unit door.
If you’re ready to start building your personal wine storage, then you’ve come to the right place. Our Montgomery storage facility has everything you need from 24-hour security and on-site management to tenant insurance to help protect your investment. Don’t waste space at home or risk the safety of your collection. Check out Iron Guard’s Montgomery Storage Units today!
