By DIANE MCMARTIN
Wine’s biggest enemies are heat, light, and big swings in temperature — things that basically occur in every kitchen on a daily basis.
Image Credit: Lauren VoloWine that’s been exposed to temperatures above about 75 to 80 degrees F for an extended period of time could taste sour, flat, or cardboard-like. Also, heat can cause the cork to push out of the bottle, breaking the airtight seal, and sometimes causing wine to leak out.
Image Credit: Elaine MusiwaNow that you know what not to do, let’s talk about solutions. (Don’t worry — you don’t need an expensive, custom-built celler to properly store wine.)
Image: John Canelis/UnsplashManaging director of the Capital Wine School in Washington, D.C., and Master of Wine.
“I keep it in the basement. And it stays about 65 year-round down there. If you don’t have a basement, try under the bed, in the closet, just kind of out of the way on its side, out of the direct light, is fine.” —
Image Credit: CompassJay Youmans
beverage director of Old Ebbitt Grill and The Hamilton in Washington, D.C.
“We have a closet that has a wine rack in it … the shelving unit is the cheapest I could find, too.”
Maria Denton
Denton adds,
“Don’t rule out your bedroom clothes closet (this is where I stored my wine for years when I lived with roommates), unused dresser drawers, or under the bed (use the shallow boxes meant for linens) as places to store your wine.”
Keep your wine out of the kitchen, everyone! Also, the perfect occasion might never come. The wine might not last that long. Life is uncertain. Drink the wine!
Bottom line: