More and more people are storing their wine at home, but what should you pay attention to in terms of humidity?
A relatively high humidity
It is very important to keep wine at a relatively high humidity. This is because if the humidity is too low, the cork will shrink and oxygen will reach the wine.
The ideal humidity for storing wine
The best humidity for storing wine is between 60 and 75%.
What happens to wine if you store it too "dry"?
The cork is kept wet on the inside of the bottle by the wine. If the humidity on the outside of the bottle is too low, the cork becomes dry and porous and air will pass through the cork to the wine. Because of the excess oxygen, the wine will oxidize.
What happens if wine oxidizes too quickly?
So the process of oxidation is actually a desirable process of the wine, therefore it actually improves it to a certain extent, but it should certainly not happen 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.
What happens to wine if you store it too humid?
The problem with keeping wine too moist, actually occurs not in the bottle, but on the outside of the bottle. The risk of mold growth, especially with insufficient air circulation, is present and not desirable. With extremely high humidity, the label may even detach from the bottle and then it will no longer be identifiable.
The ideal humidity
In EuroCave wine cabinets, humidity is controlled by an interplay of temperature, natural air circulation and condensation. In most models, the humidity can be read on the display.
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.
