Wine Storage Temperatures

Storing wine at home in a wine cooler or wine refrigerator helps keep it palatable and ensures that you can enjoy the best taste at any time. Many people don't realize it, but wine is a perishable product, and storing it at the right temperature is essential. Get the most from your wine cooler and your wine by storing it properly.

The temperature in your wine cooler is the single most important factor in preserving your wine properly. The optimum temperature for wine refrigerators is between 50 and 55 degrees Farenheit, or 10 to 12 degrees Celsius. However, in circumstances where these temperatures are not possible, anything within 40-65 Farenheit (5-18 C) will be acceptable as long as the temperature can be kept constant.

The temperature at which your wine cooler is kept will directly affect the aging of the wine. A temperature that is set too high will age the wine too quickly, while a wine cooler that is too cold may cause the wine to develop deposits and residue.

What does "chilled" really mean? And what is the best temperature when one refers to "room" temperature? Let's talk about actual degrees. A general guideline for optimum temperatures of various wines is as follows:

Red: 55-60 degrees F

White: 49-56 degrees F

Rose: 49-51 degrees F

Champagne: 53-59 degrees F

With these temperature ranges in mind, you can keep your wines at their best temperature for the utmost in taste and quality.

A lack of temperature fluctuation inside your wine cooler is almost as important as the degrees themselves. Rapid changes in temperature on a daily or weekly basis will prematurely age wine, resulting in ruined taste. Keep in mind that as the seasons change, wine stored outside of a cooler, for example on cellar shelves, will experience a gradual temperature change; however, this is not necessarily a problem. If, however, your area experiences drastic temperature changes throughout the year, this is all the more reason to invest in a wine cooler or refrigerator.

Your wine cooler or refrigerator should also offer humidity control. Moderate humidity in the cooler will keep the corks in good condition and prevent rotting of wine labels or cardboard storage containers. Too much humidity may cause this problem, while not enough humidity will dry the corks and loosen their seals on the bottle. For best results, set your wine cooler to a relative humidity of around 70 percent.