How to Store Your Wine Collection

I've always thought that you could tell where the best wine was in a supermarket by how they store it. If it's on its side, it's probably more expensive. As wine becomes more popular and wine sales grow, some supermarkets have expanded their wine departments to even include "wine coolers" or refrigerators to keep the temperature and humidity constant.

Proper temperature, lighting conditions, humidity, and movement all play a role in getting wine to mature properly. Consistent, as opposed to exact conditions, is what matures wine best. Wine can be stored in temperatures from just above freezing to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Wine ages at a faster rate the higher the temperature. 45-55 degrees and a humidity of 60-70 percent is ideal, but remember consistency is the key. Humidity is important because if it is too low, it may allow the wine to evaporate through the cork, while if it is too high, it may encourage the growth of micro-organisms. Dark colored bottles help shield your wine from sunlight, which can cause oxidation. Wine should be stored in a dark place, out of direct light. The residual amount of air left in a bottle of wine is called the ullage. Larger bottles of wine like magnums usually have less air and are better for storing wine than smaller bottles.

So you have decided to become an amateur oenophile and next to the Boone's Farm in the refrigerator you want to not only have some low to moderately priced wine to enjoy on a daily basis, but also invest in a few fine bottles to keep a bit longer, but you don't want to spend a fortune. Wine coolers used to be a $2000 luxury, but not any longer.

According to an article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, wine cooler sales at major chain and discount stores have risen some 300 percent from 2005 to 2006. Much of these sales were for the smaller units in the $100 to $250 range. Sales have moved beyond the specialty wine stores to retailers like Target, Sam's Club, Lowe's and Best Buy.