The Correct Way Of Storing Red Wine In A Wine Fridge

Red wine is one of the most popular types of wine - but did you know that it’s best enjoyed at a certain temperature?

Your collection of red wine deserves to be stored in the correct way, and a wine fridge can ensure that your wine is stored correctly and ready to be served.

Keep reading to learn more about what a wine fridge does, the best way to store red wine, and the benefits of storing your bottles of red in a wine fridge.

 

What Is A Wine Fridge?

A wine fridge is an appliance that stores your wine at the optimal temperature.

It’s a way for you to keep your wine cool, fresh, and well preserved - whether it be in the long term or just to get your bottles ready to be served.

If you don’t have a wine cellar, you’ll be glad to know that a wine fridge is the next best thing.

Wine fridges come in all shapes and sizes - there are freestanding wine fridges, built-in wine fridges, and fully integrated wine fridges, so you’re sure to find the perfect wine fridge for your requirements.

The majority of wine fridges accommodate standard 75cl bottles of wine, but many have adjustable or removable shelves so you can store larger bottles of homemade wine, Champagne, or Prosecco.

Most wines are best stored at between 11°C and 14°C, so most wine fridges will have this as their base setting.

Storing your wine at the optimal temperature keeps your wine fresh for longer, help your wine mature, as well as bring out the right flavours, textures, and aromas.

 

What Is The Best Way To Store Red Wine?

The optimal storage temperature for red wine is around 12°C or 13°C, which is very close to room temperature.

When storing your red wine, it’s important that you don’t store it in an environment under 11°C, as this can ruin the wine.

Although light red wines like rosé may taste better chilled, the same can’t be said for full-bodied reds.

This is because many red wines contain high tannin levels - and cold temperatures will heighten the structure of the wine, making tannin-heavy wines taste unpleasant, acidic, and bitter.

The best way to combat this is by purchasing a quality wine fridge and setting the temperature to 12°C or 13°C.

If you have a larger wine collection, it’s best to choose a wine fridge that has multiple temperature zones - so your reds can be stored at the right temperature, and your others can be at other temperatures.

Before purchasing a wine fridge, make sure that it will be able to accommodate the number of bottles you’re looking to store.

If you have expensive or well-matured bottles you want to show off, then you may want to consider a wine fridge that has display shelves for you to proudly display your favourite bottles.

Different fridges have different shelves - most have fixed shelves, but some will have sliding shelves that are adjustable.

Once you open a bottle of red wine, it’s more important than ever to store it in a wine fridge - this will slow down the oxidation process and keep the wine fresh and quality for longer.

Bottles of red wine are always best stored upright rather than horizontally.

Storing wine on its side can increase the surface area exposed to oxygen, which can lead to the wine deteriorating.

When placing your wine fridge, make sure that your fridge isn’t in direct sunlight.

Exposure to the sun can negatively affect the taste and cause discolouration, so keep your more expensive bottles near the back of the fridge.

 

Why Store Red Wine In a Wine Fridge?

If you’re a wine lover, have guests over regularly, or have a large collection of wine, you’re sure to benefit from owning a quality wine fridge.

Wine fridges keep your bottles of wine at the perfect temperature, make sure they stay drinkable for longer, and ensure every sip has the optimal freshness, flavours, and aromas. There are multiple factors that can affect wine storage, and a wine fridge considers these. 

As there are so many different wine fridge designs, you’re sure to find a quality fridge that fits in perfectly with the interior of your home or business while proudly displaying your wine collection.

Owning a wine fridge is a statement that you care about your wine, and you want it to taste as good as it should.

Wine fridges are also super convenient for dinner parties or for when you have guests over - instead of making your way to the basement, cellar, or utility room, you can simply grab a fresh bottle from your conveniently placed wine fridge.

Wine coolers with dual temperature zones are a great way for you to prepare wine for serving as well as store your bottles in the long term. This is ideal for the wines that you’re keeping to mature.

Dual temperature zones mean that the wine you’re storing in the long term will remain untouched and unaffected when you’re grabbing your ready-to-serve wines.

To learn more about the difference between single temperature zones and dual temperature zones, click here.  

Storage Tips For Opened Red Wine

Once a bottle has opened, it will begin to oxidise - this isn’t always an issue but it can leave red wines with high tannin levels tasting acidic and unpleasant.

Pinot Noir and similar wines are more sensitive to oxidisation, so it’s important to consider storing them in a wine fridge once you’ve opened the bottle.

Wines that have matured for 8 to 10 years also deteriorate quicker due to the tannin levels and other components.

So it’s generally best to try to finish the bottle if it’s a vintage red (which shouldn’t be too difficult!).

Another wine to be mindful of once opened is organic wine. Once exposed to oxygen, organic wines will lose quality quickly due as they’re generally more fragile than other types of wine.

Likewise, if you prefer a lighter red such as Rosé or Zinfandel, it’s best to finish the bottle once opened as they’re likely to lose their aromas and flavours - and nobody likes a tasteless wine.

If you can’t finish your bottle once opened, make sure that you store it in the fridge.

However, try to consume it as quickly as possible as red wine shouldn’t be chilled for too long once opened.