9
Love Your Home
WINE STORAGE GUIDE
The ideal temperature for storing red wines is 50-65°F while white wines
should be stored around 40-55°F, with humidity between 60% and 75% RH.
Store corked bottles on their sides, to keep the cork from drying out and
allowing air into the bottle.
UV rays make wine age faster, so keep bottles out of direct sunlight.
Avoid heavy vibrations from motors, etc.
Store wine separately from strong odors that might contaminate the flavor
of the wine.
H
OW
L
ONG
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HOULD
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TORE
M
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W
INE
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While most wines today are meant to be drunk “young” (within a few years of
production) some fine wines are best served by proper aging. But aging too
long can decrease the flavor of the wine. Generally speaking, red wines can age
longer than white wines, but here is a storage guide for some popular vintages.
Cabernet Sauvignon…………
7-10 years
Pinot Noir………………………….
5 years
Merlot……………………………….
3-5 years
Zinfandel……………………………
2-5 years
Beaujolais………………………….
Drink now
Chardonnay……………………….
2-3 years
Riesling………………………………
3-5 years
Sauvignon Blanc………………
18 months – 2 years
Pinot Gris…………………………..
1-2 years
Champagne ………………………
Ready to drink
