How To Store Red Wine Properly (Opened, Unopened, Best) - Pinot Squirrel (2023)

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Red wine is a great type of wine to collect and keep on hand for both cooking and drinking, but knowing how to store it properly is key. Without proper storage, red wine can quickly turn into unpalatable vinegar.

So how is red wine stored?Red wine should generally be stored between 52 and 58 degrees, depending on the type of wine. It should be stored in a closed, dark and humid place, and it is better to keep it on its side so that the liquid comes into contact with the cork and prevents it from drying out. Red wine that is not stored properly will spoil.

Want to start collecting wines but not sure how to keep your red wines looking their best? Keep reading to learn more about wine storage and how to store your red wine the right way.

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How to store red wine at home

How red wine should be stored depends entirely on how long you plan on storing it before using it. If red wine is consumed immediately after purchase, then it can be placed in the refrigerator to cool.

However, if the wine is to be stored for a later date, it should be kept slightly below room temperature, preferably in a cellar or cellar.

It's important to remember that different types of wines are designed to have different longevity.Ordinary red and white table wines—in other words, the kinds of table wines you see in the supermarket—are not meant to be kept for long periods of time and will spoil even in the fridge.

Don't waste your cellar space on inferior wines; you'll end up with a lot of vinegar in a few years.

Unlike ordinary table wines, some aged red wines are designed to be stored for decades.These are the qualities that typically determine whether a wine will improve with age:

• Acidity level:High acidity helps preserve wine, so the more acidic it is, the more likely it is to age palatably.
  
• Alcohol by volume:Alcohol acts as a natural preservative and bacteria find it difficult to grow. For this reason, in ancient times, fortified wine was often added to water to make it drinkable when boiling was not possible.
• Tannins:Since tannin acts as a preservative, the higher the level of tannins in a wine, the more likely it is to age well.
• Complexity:The types of wine chosen for vintage purposes are wines that become more complicated and nuanced with age, whereas a wine whose flavor profile is relatively flat will not change drastically over the years.

Sweetness:At higher content levels, sugar can help act as a preservative. This means that some dessert wines age exceptionally well. (Source: 1)

Forfull analysis of ideal conditions for long-term wine storagePlease check this helpful article I wrote. This is vital information to better understand wine storage. I wrote an entire article explaininghow to properly store unopened red winethe right way i want you to go and see.

Along with some recommended ways to store red wine, there are also several ways you should never store red wine.Here are some situations to avoid when storing red wine:

• Sun light:Never store wine in direct sunlight, as the sun's rays can cause the wine to discolor and develop off-flavors. Sunlight can also cause heat damage in rooms that don't have temperature controls, causing wine to spoil.
• Warm:Wine should never be stored in an area exposed to high temperatures, such as the trunk of a car or near a fireplace at home. These temperature fluctuations can cause the wine to take on an unpleasant sour jelly taste.
• Vibration:Wine should not be stored near vibrating areas such as aquarium pumps, stereos, washers, dryers or conveyors. Vibrations can cause subtle chemical reactions in the wine that can make flavors dull or cloying.

Most red wines are tolerant of storage conditions as long as they are kept cool, dark and relatively humid.

How to store red wine for cooking

Even if you have wine in your fridge that is no longer old enough to pour into a wine glass, that doesn't mean you have to serve it.A wine that has gone too far or has started to turn to vinegar can still be cooked.(Source: Enjoy it)

If you have unfinished red wine older than the recommended 3-5 days to drink it, you can store it and use it for another week or two for cooking, as wine and vinegar are integral ingredients in many dishes.

Here are some of the many ways to use aged wine in the kitchen:

• To make a vinegar skillet sauce
• To marinate nuts for a jam or as a condiment
• For sautéing dark or fatty meats, especially game

Before using old wine for cooking, you should smell and taste it to make sure it is still edible. If the wine develops an unpleasant odor or doesn't taste at least palatable (if it's undrinkable), it should probably be discarded.

A great way to save leftover wine from cooking is to freeze it in ice cube trays.These wine cubes can be stored in the freezer and then added to sauces, soups, stews and marinades as needed to add rich, complex flavor nuances.

How to store open red wine

Once you've opened red wine, there are a few ways to store it so that it lasts as long as possible in the fridge.Here are some things to keep in mind to ensure your red wine lasts:

• Conventional wisdom has established that the best way to store any red wine is on its side so that the cork can maintain contact with the wine, but a few decades ago this long-held theory was called into question. According to 2005 research, scientists discovered that the inside of a wine bottle holds 100% moisture whether the wine touches the cork or not.
• When it comes to temperature, red wine should ideally be stored between 52 and 58 degrees, just below room temperature. This means that wine is best stored in a dedicated wine cellar or cooler. Wine can be stored at room temperature, but any fluctuations can have adverse effects on taste and flavor.
• Opened red wine can be stored for approximately three to five days, depending on how many tannins are present in the wine and how acidic it is. The more tannins a wine has and the more acid it is, the longer it will last; both qualities help protect red wine from oxidation which ages white wine more quickly. It also depends on the corking of the wine after opening.
• Any wine that is too old to drink can be transferred to a "trash", a sealed Mason wine decanter that can be used to store old wine for cooking so it can still be used. Old wine that has too much vinegar to drink can still be used.
• Never store wine in anything other than an airtight container, and never leave uncorked wine in the refrigerator. Oxidation causes wine to turn to vinegar, and while red wine can keep for up to five days in the fridge if it's corked, it won't last more than a day or two without spoiling if you don't seal it.

Making red wine last as long as possible comes down to storing it correctly. The better it is stored, the longer it will keep in good condition.It's a good idea to invest in some rubber stoppers in case you come across a wine bottle whose wooden stopper has been damaged during unbottling.

A big advantage of rubber stoppers is that they prevent wine from rusting and spilling, even when stored flat.

What is the best wine cellar for red wine?

One of the best ways to keep red wine cool is to keep it in a wine cooler, a specially calibrated cooler designed specifically for storing wine.

Here are some of the things that set a wine cooler or wine cooler apart from a regular kitchen cooler:

• Temperature:Wine coolers are set at a slightly higher temperature than standard wine coolers, which are designed to keep food dry and cool. The advantage of a wine cooler is that it is precisely calibrated for the ideal temperature of the wine inside, and many wine coolers can be adjusted for the type of wine inside.
• Moisture:The wine must be kept a little humid to maintain its best color, aroma and flavor, while the traditionalRefrigerators are designed to reduce humidity.. Wine coolers are designed to retain moisture, keeping wine in a moist environment and aimed at its longevity.
• Vibration:Vibration can tone down wine flavors and make it sweeter, which means that vibrating compressors in a traditional fridge can ruin wine's more complex and nuanced flavors. Wine coolers and wine coolers are designed with shock absorption technology that prevents the wine from being affected by vibrations.
• Store:While standard refrigerators only have a few shelves that can easily accommodate wine bottles, a wine cooler or wine cooler is designed to storeonlywine, which means that many more bottles can be stored inside it than in a regular kitchen fridge.
• Screen lighting:While most kitchen refrigerators are opaque by design, wine coolers or coolers are designed to display wine in an aesthetically pleasing manner and store it in a temperature-controlled environment. Most wine coolers have dim blue lighting rather than white lighting, as exposure to UV rays can cause wine to age more quickly.

Since many smaller wine coolers are reasonably priced, they're well worth it.installation cost if you like wine and want to have several bottles ready without dedicating space to a full cellar. It all depends on the amount of time and resources you want to dedicate to your wine tasting hobby.

The best wine coolers of 2020

If you're looking to invest in a wine cellar to increase your wine storage capacity, there are many fantastic units on the market available at various price points and features.

Here are some of the best red wine coolers available (Amazon link):

• Whynter 20 Bottle Thermoelectric Wine Cooler with Black Mirrored Glass Door:This sleek looking wine cooler features an interior light that shows how many bottles of wine you're storing, as well as a digital thermometer that ranges from 46 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This refrigerator also has removable shelves so you can rearrange it however you like.
  
• Aobosi 30 Bottle Wine Fridge:This low-vibration unit has touchscreen control and a clear front display and ventilation system to keep temperature and humidity constant. A great feature of Aobosi is its temporary memory function, which allows the fridge to return to the previously programmed temperature if the power temporarily goes out. This prevents a temperature fluctuation that could harm more expensive wines.
  
• Nutrichef Fridge PKCWC120:The NutriChef is a smaller wine cooler that holds just twelve bottles of wine, but its compact size means it fits more easily into smaller rooms and spaces. The small size means it fits on a table or bench just as easily as it does on the floor. The temperature of this wine cooler can be controlled between 41 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
• Antarctic Star 24 Bottle Beverage Cabinet/Wine Cooler:For those looking for versatility in their wine cooler, the Antarctic Star allows users to store wine and other beverages such as soft drinks or beer. This is an almost silent self-contained unit with a soft blue interior light that provides a cool aesthetic without exposing the wine to UV rays.
  
• Kalamera wine cellar 30 bottles built-in or independent: This wine cooler can hold multiple different sized wine bottles and is easy to set to any temperature between 40 and 66 degrees. This allows the wine cooler to adjust to storage or cooling temperatures. This cooler's compact design makes it a great upgrade for an old garbage disposal or similar appliance.

Which wine cooler you buy will depend on a number of factors, including your budget, how much wine you intend to store at any one time, and whether you want a freestanding or built-in unit.Either way, there are plenty of top-notch models on the market to choose from.

One reason to invest in a wine cooler over a full wine cellar is that if you are renting or planning to move soon, you can easily bring a wine cooler with you, while any cellar renovations will have to be left behind. as capital.

Wine fridges vs. kitchen refrigerators

Wine coolers don't get as cold as kitchen coolers, but they cool enough to preserve the red wine and prevent heat damage.Aside from oxidation, heat is the only factor that can seriously damage a wine's flavor.

One advantage of wine coolers that don't get as cold as regular coolers is that they keep bottles from freezing, which can cause wine bottles to crack. Wine coolers are typically smaller than a traditional cooler, making them easy to install in ancillary rooms such as game rooms, garages and bars.

Even if you only have half a dozen wines on hand, it's worth keeping them in a cellar to extend their shelf life.

Wine serving temperatures for red wine

Although red wine should be stored between 52 and 58 degrees, it should come to room temperature before serving. On average, red wine should be served between 60 and 68 degrees, or slightly below room temperature. This temperature may vary slightly depending on the acidity of the wine.

Here is a general guide on the temperature for serving specific types of red wine:

• Merlot: 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit
• Pinot noir: 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit
• Cabernet Franc: 60 terrible Fahrenheit

If red wine is usually kept at room temperature, it can be added to a wine cooler to chill before serving.Adding wine to the wine cooler 45 to 90 minutes before serving can bring it down to the ideal serving temperature.

However, wine should not be kept at room temperature if the room temperature fluctuates between

70-75 degrees. Even this slightly higher temperature in an air-conditioned home can cause severe flavor degradation over time, which is why proper wine storage is so important for preservation.(source)

Cheap wine storage vs. expensive wine

It's okay to buy cheap wine if you're just looking for something to round out a weeknight meal; not all wine glasses need to be something special. However, the price of wine says a lot about how long it will last. Cheap wine cannot be stored as long as expensive wine.

How Long Can You Store Cheap Wine?

Cheap table wines or wines intended for everyday use do not keep well over time.most of these wines will be pickled after a year or two.No matter how well you store cheap wine, it's not designed to last longer than that.

How long can you store expensive wine?

Expensive wine (also known as fine wine) is usually made in such a way that it only gets better with age rather than spoiling.

Fine wines are created from premium grapes that are grown under specific conditions and made to be stored and passed down for decades rather than just a few years.However, even the most enduring wines only live for about twenty years at most.

Wines can last for more than twenty years, but by that time the wine is no longer drinkable. However, that doesn't stop people from spending millions of dollars buying centuries-old wines like they were antiques. (Source: The Guardian)

Storage of red wine at room temperature

If you don't have space in the kitchen fridge and don't have a climate-controlled wine cellar, don't despair:You can still keep wine in good condition at room temperature as long as you reduce the temperature on the air conditioning system to minus 20 degrees.

Another factor to consider is humidity. If you plan to store wine at room temperature at home,It's probably a good idea to invest in a good cool mist humidifier.. This will bring the overall humidity in the room closer to 70%, which is the ideal humidity for storing wine.

Red wine storage in cellars

If you want to start an extensive collection of fine wines, you can always invest inbuilding a cellar.A good spot for a homemade wine cellar is a finished basement, as this is a naturally cool and damp area of ​​the house.

A wine cellar can add significant value to your property and can also be a significant investment of money, time and resources to install as a renovation.

Adding a wine cellar to a home can cost an average of forty thousand dollars.(Source: home counselor) Needless to say, this is a storage option for the most serious wine collectors only.

For those who cannot invest the money in a complete cellar renovation, a makeshift wine cellar can be created in the basement or elsewhere in the house by installing amenities designed to mimic cellar conditions, such as air conditioning and high humidity. to control.

Red wine can be stored in different ways.

Whether you want to save a fine wine for a special occasion twenty years from now or just know how to store your table wine to prevent it from spoiling, red wine should be stored in a cool, damp place.

If you only buy red wine occasionally, you can probably keep it in your kitchen fridge. However, if you want to keep wine at its best quality, whether in the short or long term, then it's worth investing in wine coolers.