You love to relax after a long day at work, kicking back with a glass of your favorite wine. But you probably don’t realize how important it is to store that wine properly in order to maintain its flavor and longevity. That’s where we come in. Our guide shows you how to store and appreciate wine the right way.
1. A good wine opener
Many people struggle with opening a bottle of wine with a corkscrew, and even if they manage to open it, they often end up mutilating the cork or spilling some wine. A good alternative for keeping beverages chilled is the wine opener. A good wine opener can help you open a bottle of wine in seconds with the touch of a button, and they keep your beverages cool for hours. You can use a wine opener for other things as well, such as piercing the lid on a jar and removing bottle tops. So, you might want to consider purchasing one of these if you want an easy way to open bottles without struggling with corkscrews. They are very affordable, so why not give it a try?
2. Avoid sudden temperature changes
Certain types of wines taste better at certain temperatures, and you can ruin a bottle by serving it at the wrong temperature. So it’s important to keep in mind that if you’re drinking white wine, it should be served at about 46 degrees Fahrenheit (about 8 degrees Celsius), and red wine should be served about 52 degrees Fahrenheit (11 degrees Celsius). However, what happens when you serve your white wine too cold or your red too warm? While some people may not notice the difference in the flavor profile, others will certainly be able to tell there is something off with their particular glass of wine. This means that taking care to avoid sudden temperature changes is very essential because you don’t want to ruin the experience for yourself.
3. Don’t let your wine stagnate
It’s essential to drink your wine before it stagnates. Why? Well, experts say that after about two hours, the quality of your wine will start to degrade because the oxygen in the bottle interacts with it. The longer you let this process take place, the worse off your wine is going to be when you finally pour yourself a glass. Drinking your white wines sooner than 2 hours and reds within 6 hours is best. So if you need more time after opening up a bottle than recommended, consider investing in airtight corks to reduce the amount of air coming into contact with your beverage during storage. That way, when you do decide to crack open that bottle of wine, you can enjoy it to the fullest and not be disappointed.
4. The proper way to aerate your wines
Many people don’t realize that it’s important to aerate their wines in order for them to taste better. Aerating it allows the flavors of the wine to open up, which means you’ll be able to enjoy its true flavor profile much more. This is especially crucial for young red wines because they need time in order for their tannins and acids to mellow out. But if you plan on drinking a wine within a year of purchasing it, experts say that decanting isn’t necessary because the effective increase of surface area won’t substantially change the taste of your beverage. However, if you want to give yourself more options when it comes to enjoying your favorite wines, it’s significant to invest in a specialty wine aerator. These appliances can help you pour your wines without worrying about spilling them, and they allow the oxygen to go into the bottle more quickly.
5. Do not keep opened wine in the fridge
While some people do consume their wine within a day after opening it, others prefer to keep the bottle in the refrigerator. But storing your wines in this manner isn’t a good idea because of how cold it is inside most refrigerators. The temperature of most refrigerators can be anywhere from 39 degrees Fahrenheit (about 4 Celsius) to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius), so you want to avoid any bottles that are made out of glass or cork because these materials could crack due to rapid changes in temperature. This isn’t just bad for the wine, it’s also bad for you if you’re planning on drinking it. So unless you plan on finishing that bottle within two days, your best bet is to store it at room temperature and drink one glass every day until it’s gone.
Don’t be discouraged if you aren’t a wine expert, most people who enjoy drinking wine don’t know that much about it. However, just by following these simple steps, you’ll be able to keep your wines tasting better for longer and maintain their full flavor profile from when they were first opened.
