Ideal Storage Conditions

If you're as passionate about wine as I am then you'll want to know that you're storing your valuable wine collection in the best possible cellar conditions. Conditions that will allow your wines to age slowly and develop complexity.

Not everyone has an appropriate spot in our basement available for wine storage. But it is important that the cellar is used for wines only as the presence of food increases the risk of contamination to your valuable bottles.

A cellar should provide ideal storage conditions. The ideal temperature oscillates between 50 and 60 °F and should fluctuate as little as possible. The level of humidity is 70 %, but it may vary between 65 and 75%. When the relative humidity is too low, the cork may dry out and consequently retract, allowing the wine to penetrate it and lead to a corked wine. On the other hand, too much humidity encourages the development of mould on the bottles.

There must also be air circulation inside the cellar, as the absence of ventilation encourages the development of moulds and bacteria, resulting in unpleasant odors which may be transmitted to the wine through the cork. The wine needs to be stored in the dark as UV rays, through oxidation, irreversibly degrade the tannins in the wine. Vibrations must be avoided. They cause the deposits to remain in suspension in the wine and break the molecules of certain chemical components of the wine.

Contact: info@h2o2winecellardesign.com or 416-388-9388