Through the millennia, drinkers and makers of wine have struggled with its delicate nature to figure out how best to store wine. In ancient times it was already known that contact with air quickly spoiled wine. Honey, spices, resin and other sorts of seasonings were added to disguise this effect.

An important step came when it became possible to produce wine ‘industrially’ so that the wine could be ‘portioned’. The logical next step came in the early 1980s with the birth of wine retention containers, and at last the biggest problems of oxidation were consigned to history.

This was an enormous success, a revolution, especially in the wine world. The pubs and bars saw their biggest problem solved practically overnight, as did winemakers selling directly from the establishment.

Consumers, too, have benefited from this wine technology, which in this age of ‘drinking less and enjoying it more’ has proven indispensable.

Once a wine is uncorked, its quality deteriorates due to exposure to oxygen (oxidation). How quickly this happens depends on the strength of the wine. Re-seal an open bottle using wine savers (with reusable rubber caps and vacuum pumps) can keep the taste of wine at its best, and delay the oxidation process. For sparkling wines, there are also champagne savers that you can use.

Ageing Wine

A Wine 101 learner may ask if there is a point to ageing wine? Only a few wines appreciate in quality over time. In general 9 out of 10 wines come to the market ready to drink and are intended to be drunk within 1 to 2 years. These wines, too, have to be stored properly.

Make sure the bottles have as little exposure to harmful influences as possible. Store them in as cool, dark, and vibration-free a place as possible. Keep them on their sides, so the cork does not dry out. A dried-out cork will let in more oxygen than a wet one, and too much oxygen causes wine to age too quickly. Champagne, even though it is usually drunk right away, is best kept horizontally as well.

A real cellar is of course the ideal location for keeping wine, but fortunately there are plenty of alternatives if you haven’t got one. Wine can be kept in closets, under the stairwell or in the bedroom under the bed. For both the cellar and less orthodox locations, use standard wine racks to hold your wine.