Should You Store Your Wine in the Kitchen?

 In CGT Blog

Some wine connoisseurs may roll their eyes when they see a few bottles of wine in your kitchen. Many argue that exposure to heat – around the oven, especially – can negatively affect the quality of the wine. But is storing wine in your kitchen really that big of an issue? After all, wine belongs in the food we cook and paired with the dishes we love. So what’s all the fuss about storing wine in the kitchen?

We can’t all have a secret door in our apartment to a wine cellar (wouldn’t that be nice!). Even for homeowners, a dedicated wine cellar takes up valuable space and can be a large investment for the casual wine drinker.

Home Wine Storage Tips

Certain areas in your kitchen may not be the best places for wine storage. Avoid areas that:

  • are exposed to heat
  • are exposed to light
  • and see lots of movement

What’s the Best Way to Keep Wine in the Kitchen?

Wherever you keep your wine, you want to aim for consistency. This means finding a place without drastic changes in temperature, movement, humidity or light. Around 55° F is ideal for long-term storage, but the reality is, our kitchens aren’t usually that cool. But if you have to choose between a higher but stable temperature and a lower but fluctuating temperature, choose a higher but stable temperature. Remember, we want consistency.

Where Should I Store Wine in the Kitchen?

Find a spot in your kitchen away from appliances that give off heat – namely the oven, dishwasher and refrigerator. Heat is the biggest enemy that can turn wine into something that resembles salad dressing. So whatever you do, try to keep it cool. Direct sunlight can warm your wine and the UV rays can affect flavor. Find a spot that doesn’t see much sunlight, and this includes fluorescent light, too. Try to keep the bottles in the same spot until you’re ready to drink them.

For those short kitchen on space, look to your pantry, or perhaps an unused nearby cabinet that might have room for a few bottles of wine. Look for storage lower to the ground, where cold air settles. The floor of a walk-in pantry is perfect.  Pro tip: Storing your wine sideways keeps the cork from drying out, although most consumers won’t be storing wine long enough to require this benefit.

At the end of the day, if you’re not holding onto a bottle of wine for more than a year, store it wherever is convenient for you. Just try and keep it from getting too warm. Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed, not stressed over where it lives for a few days or weeks before you pop the cork. To learn more about how wine ages, stop by our winery to experience the beauty of a wine cellar and see where the magic happens.

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