Storing Wine Correctly: Wine Storage Tips

Building up a wine collection is becoming an increasingly popular thing to do but, if not stored correctly, your wine could be ruined by environmental factors known to spoil or taint the flavours.

Choosing a CDA wine cooler will eliminate the danger zones in wine storage. With wooden slide out shelves to beautifully present your bottles, electronic temperature control, a UV protected smoked, toughened glass door, humidifiers, temperature alarm and memory function, you can rest assured that your investments are well looked after.



We’ve put together a handy, comprehensive check list to help you keep your wine collection in tip top condition.

Wine Storage: Top Tips

  • Maintain a humidity of between 50 and 80%, as this keeps the corks from getting too moist or dry.
  • Protect your wine from sunlight. UV rays can cause otherwise stable compounds in wine to degrade, potentially ruining your wine.
  • Keep bottles secure and avoid unstable racking. Unnecessary movement could compromise the storage of your collection as the vibration disturbs sediment.
  • Dramatic changes in temperature may spoil taste. Maintaining a constant temperature will preserve the quality of your wines.
  • Strong odours could permeate the corks, tainting the flavours and notes in the bottle. Limit the risk of smells reaching your collection by keeping them in a secure environment.

Here is our rough guide on serving temperatures, to bring alive the flavours and enjoy the best that each has to offer:

White wine:

6°C Champagne

7-8°C Sweet & sparkling wines e.g Muscat

9-10°C Medium whites- e.g Chardonnay, Chablis and Sauvignon Blanc

11°C Full bodied/oaked whites- e.g White burgundy

Red wine:

12°C Juicy fruity- e.g Beaujolais

13°C for young Spanish or Portuguese wines

14°C Madeira

15°C Medium bodied- e.g Chianti, Zinfandel

16°C Rioja, Pinot Noir

17°C Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy

18°C Rich, spicy- e.g Bordeaux, Shiraz