Four main reasons to store your wine at a climate controlled wine storage facility

Four main reasons to store your wine at a climate controlled wine storage facility


There is an exact science behind wine storage and in order for the wine to age into a vintage that makes it a valuable commodity. For winemakers to produce a high quality product there are fundamental guidelines that need to be followed. The aging of wine can be a simple process if the conditions are just right. However, it takes a lot of preparation and care to transform extracted juice from newly-harvested grapes into the kind of drink that people pay a lot of money to get their hands on.

Proper storage of wine

There are a number of crucial elements that influence proper wine storage. The aging process of wine can only be facilitated correctly by setting up a facility that presents with very specific conditions. The right environment ensures it will in time be transformed into a fine a marvelous beverage. There was a time when only wine merchants can make great wine and they used to do it exclusively inside underground cellars and wine caves. The location is characterized as humid, dark and cool and this type of environment is the optimal place for aging wine.

Home-based wine storage is becoming more popular today and this is possible because the knowledge required to age wine the right way is available to everyone. Wine connoisseurs can now have their own private wine storage facilities at home if they have the resources to set up one.

The necessity of a climate-controlled storage facility

Long-term aging of wine occurs when three environmental factors are controlled and fine-tuned. These factors are humidity, light, and temperature. A climate-controlled facility is the best place to store and age wine contained in dedicated storage units because it provides the ideal environment for wine to age. Here are four reasons why it is critical for wine to be aged in a climate-controlled environment.

Reason #1: Proper wine storage requires a narrow temperature range

A climate-controlled wine storage facility offers aging wine a constant ambient temperature that hovers around 55°F. Wine bottles will not age properly if the environmental temperature is higher than this level. It is also critical that fluctuations in temperature be avoided since the quality of the wine will suffer and any dramatic temperature change will have a negative effect on the vintage.

Reason #2: A controlled environment can protect aging wine from the deleterious effects of humidity

In relation to the temperature requirements, the storage area must consistently have a humidity level within the ideal range for wine which is between 65%-75%. Nevertheless, there are varying opinions on the ideal levels of humidity, but it is well known that if the environment is too dry the cork will allow oxygen into the bottle and lead to wine oxidation. In the meantime, wine labels can be damaged by a humidity level that is higher than optimal.

Reason #3: A climate-controlled facility can effectively shield wine away from sunlight

Ultraviolet rays from the sun significantly affect the flavor of wine, and not in a favorable manner. The degradation of wine due to direct exposure to sunlight can be prevented by storing aging wine inside a climate-controlled environment that offers ample UV light protection. One of the negative effects of sunlight exposure is premature aging and the more delicate white wines are particularly susceptible to the detrimental effects of excessive sunlight. Even incandescent light is not good for wine. Any kind of light exposure must be avoided and for this reason, a dark environment with the right temperature and humidity levels is the only place to store wine.

Reason #4:

A climate-controlled facility can also protect the wine from vibration. Agitation can be detrimental to wine as well especially in red wine. The sediment will not settle and the wine will be a total wreck if it is exposed to constant vibration even when other environmental conditions are ascertained. There are also reports which state that vibration accelerates the aging process and lowers the quality of the wine produced. Studies have been conducted wherein the effects of varied frequencies on wine quality were determined. It has been shown in these studies that the chemistry of the wine is indeed affected by vibration. A climate-controlled facility can keep the wine still while it transforms.