It’s no secret how much we all love wine, mankind has been drinking it for thousands of years and we’re not stopping anytime soon. The Romans were on to something with Dionysus, a god dedicated to drinking wine and having fun.

There are so many kinds of wine out there, each with its different nuances. But there’re some universal rules you should follow when caring for your juice.

 Cellaring Your Bottles:

• Some wine tastes better with age, like big reds. In this case patience is a virtue, and save it for a special occasion. Nothing is better then surprising some old friends with an aged bottle.
• Also note that although aging red wine is common practice, many white wines don’t benefit from aging. This is because many white wines don’t contain as much tannins as red wine. Tannins are a preservative found in the skin of grapes. Wood, like oak, also has tannins, so wine aged in oak casks will absorb tannins that way.  Chardonnays and many Rieslings, are excellent once they have been aged, but many lighter whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are best enjoyed when they are young and fresh.
• Keep It On Its Side– When it comes to storing, make sure that the bottle is stored horizontally (on its side) so the wine is touching the cork. This is to prevent the cork from drying out.
• Keep It Dark- wine bottles in a dark spot. Over exposure to light can ruin a perfectly good bottle.
• Keep It Cool- Find yourself a cool spot that stays around 55 degrees. You don’t want your wine to cook in it’s bottle. Look for a place in your home with a stable humidity of around 70% otherwise the cork will shrink and oxygen can get in and contaminate your bottle.
• Keep It Still- A common mistake people make is keeping wine on top of their refrigerator. Not only does this expose wine to light, but also the vibrations from the fridge will disrupt the sediment. It’s fine if you plan on drinking it in the next day or so but not for long term storage.

Wine knowledge shared by Michael Nunes