More and more wine enthusiasts are storing larger quantities of wine at home, but make sure this is done properly! This time: why should wine be stored lying down?
Storing wine horizontally
It is very important to store wine lying down. This is because the cork must be kept moist by the wine on the inside of the bottle and by relatively high humidity on the outside of the bottle.
What happens to the wine when the cork dries out?
If you do not store wine lying down, the cork will dry out. The cork then becomes porous and lets too much air through, causing the wine to oxidize.
What happens when wine oxidizes?
Although the process of oxidation is a desirable process of the wine, which actually improves it to a certain extent, it should certainly not be done too quickly. With the right dose of oxygen, the wine will mature, evolve, become softer and more supple, and develop the desired aromas of "old" wine. If too much oxygen is added (in a short period of time or if the wine has been stored for far too long), you will get a flattening of aroma and taste, until nothing is left but sour juice ... vinegar.
Should all wines be stored lying down?
No, you don't have to. The following wines may be stored upright:
- Wines with a screw cap
- Wines whose cork has been treated against dehydration (note: you need to know if this is the case)
- Wines that will be drunk within a few weeks
- Champagne and other sparkling wines, because of the pressure, the cork remains moist anyway
- Port, except Vintage port, because it is aged in the bottle. The other types of port are aged in barrel and then bottled. These ports will hardly develop any further in the bottle. These ports are best stored upright and will keep for about two years.
Store or present?
Since the eye also wants something, EuroCave 's wine cabinets have different shelves for storing and/or presenting the wines: the storage and sliding shelves are for the horizontal storage of the wine bottles and the presentation and serving shelves are for an inclined presentation or vertical storage of the wine.
EUROCAVE, THE WORLD'S FIRST AND BEST MANUFACTURER OF WINE CABINETS
As a leader in wine storage and serving, both for professionals and individuals, the EuroCave group continues to expand worldwide. The secret to its success? French expertise combined with a commitment to products that offer planned durability. Representing both tradition and modernity, in 40 years EuroCave has become a leader in wine storage, layout and aesthetics for wine cabinets and wine racks that enrich any interior.
This blog is part of a series on the 6 criteria for storing wine. Also read the other blogs in this series.
