Storing red wine without a cellar

Always serving red and white wine at the perfect temperature without a wine cellar? You can do that with a wine climate cabinet. Find out below which factors influence quality, what is the best serving temperature and how best to store wine in the living room.

What influences wine quality?

The main factors affecting wine quality are:

Humidity

Too much moisture causes mould. Too little moisture dries out the cork. This causes the cork to shrink and air enters the bottle. This air causes the quality of the wine to deteriorate rapidly and even spoil in the unopened bottle. The best humidity for wine is between 60% and 75%.

Light

UV light, such as sunlight, affects colour and flavour. Therefore, it is important to store wine in a dark place.

Temperature

If you store wine in an environment that is too cold, it can freeze. Once frozen wine thaws, the flavour is affected. Too warm an environment accelerates the wine's ageing process. This causes it to spoil faster. In addition, the right temperature for a red wine is different from that for a white. You also want to avoid (large) temperature changes, as this increases the pressure in the bottle and this damages the cork.

Besides these three, vibrations, which come from the fridge or washer, for example, also have an influence.

So storing wine at home is not as easy as storing juice or milk. Fortunately, it is not very complicated either. Read our tips below and find out how your red and white wine will always have the perfect serving temperature at home.

Storing wine in the living room?

You can, as long as you take into account the factors mentioned earlier. So put the wine in a dark place, where it is neither too hot nor too cold. But it is not ideal. It is better to store red and white wine in a wine climate cabinet. A wine refrigerator or wine cooler ensures that all your fine wines are well protected from outside influences. Moreover, it also looks stylish and brings atmosphere to the living room.

Choose a wine cooler with two zones

The best temperature for storing and serving red and white wine varies. That's why a wine climate cabinet with different temperature zones is so handy. You can set a different temperature for each zone.

Red wine storage temperature

The best temperature for red wine ranges from 12°C to 18°C. For a light red wine, a serving temperature between 12°C and 16°C is best. A full-bodied red wine is best when the temperature is between 16°C and 18°C.

White wine storage temperature

The best temperature for white wine and rosé is between 8°C and 12°C. Light white and rosé wines should be served at between 8°C and 10°C. Full-bodied white and rosé wines should be served at 10°C and 12°C.

Sparkling wines should be served between 5°C and 8°C.