For collections small or massive, IWA’s extensive no-brainer wine storage solutions run the full gamut: there is literally no collection on Earth our wine storage Masterminds can’t accommodate! Whether temporary, short-term, or long-term; from self-contained units to systematic organizers; natural temps or power-controlled—we’ve got you (and your wine) covered!
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Quick Primer: Wine Storage Basics
TEMPERATURE
Liquid temperature counts, not air temperature.
Ideal storage temp range: 52°F to 58°F. Once chosen, must not fluctuate more than 4°F
Ideal serving temp range: 60°F to 65°F (Whites may go lower.)
Wine stored below 50°F:
- Hardly ages.
- Throws sediment in form of tartaric acid crystals, (tasteless grit.)
- Freezes between 15°F to 20°F. Cracked bottles obvious, compromised corks aren’t: Sticky corks or wine stains under the capsule are signs of leakage—no way to tell if wine is affected but to open and taste.
LIGHT
Less=Best. Takes considerable time to damage unless near source. NO direct sunlight! (Total darkness ideal for long-term storage.) NOTE: Fridge units not always UV-resistant glass: short-term, not a big deal; long-term, problem.
- Place vulnerable units in normally-dark locations, or
- Purchase anti-UV film made for windows from home improvement stores.
- Aluminum foil also works, but ain’t pretty…
HUMIDITY
Ideal relative humidity: 60% – 70%.
(Higher not ideal for long-term storage: labels may mold or fall off.)
VENTILATION
Wine needs to be kept in an odor-free environment. Don’t store near highly-volatile chemical compounds (solvents, cleaners,) or aromatic foods like onions and garlic. Watch garages and basement pantries or workshops. Some air will always get in via the cork, therefore, odorous molecules can and will get in over a couple years or more. (Don’t fret about weekender paint jobs or few months’ remodeling.)
BOTTLE ORIENTATION
Short-term: Upright or horizontal.
Long-term: Horizontal. (Some experts say Champagne OK upright or upside-down.)
Very old wines: slanted angles that minimize ullage along body OK.
VIBRATION
Current debate du jour; but generally None = Best.
THERMOMETER / HYGROMETER (IWA sells them!)
Your fridge/ cellar/ storage area’s best friend.
IWA’s Super-Short Storage Solutions
DURING PARTIES & EVENTS (up to 1 day)
LED Chilling Tub – 4 bottle cap. Highlight the goods at any party with our glowing, hip, sleek, break-resistant acrylic tub made in Italy. Charge LED light base before inserting into tub; illuminates up to 4 hours. Indoor/ outdoor. Removable/ rechargeable.
Vino Gondola Champagne Bucket – 3 bottle cap. Clear acrylic outer, thick rim and bottom. Indoor/ outdoor.
WINEKEEPER LINE (for open bottles- 4-14 days)
Practical for designated ‘bar’ or service areas and consumed within a few weeks. Three models:
1. Basic Keeper – Uncork free-standing bottles, insert stopper faucet, and serve. Choose disposable Nitrogen or Argon. Quick-connect fittings with multiple faucets protects multiple bottles.
2. Vintner – Display bottles in a handcrafted wooden case. Looks great on the bar while concealing the Nitrogen or Argon gas canister.
3. Monterey – Configurable deluxe model maintains a variety of storage and serving temperature zones (42° F –64° F) to accommodate reds and whites. Wood or metal finish. (Refillable gas cylinders separate.)
IWA’s Short-Term Storage Solutions – A Couple of Years
AU NATUREL
45 Bottle Wine Jail
Beautifully displays wine and Champagne: constructed from solid iron, with durable black powdercoat finish. Sliding bolt closure accommodates small padlocks. (Padlocks not included.)
96 Bottle Wine Jail
Same as 45-bottle jail above, but adds versatile racking sized to fit up to 96 individual Champagne bottles plus a metal plaque with your choice of letter initial.
Solid Wood Racks
Durable Bamboo or Pine hardwood 110-Bottle Tasting Rack has 3 ½” openings to fit most Champagnes:
- Diamond Rack Configuration stores up to 112 bottles, plus the top surface has room for a buffet.
- Stackable Cellar Cubes offer 4 quadrants per cube @ 6 bottles per quadrant.
- Stackable Scallop Racks include 2 rows per set that hold 9 bottles per row.
POWER-CONTROLLED
Wine “Fridges”
Three brands, three top-most leaders in the category. Bottle capacity ranges shown. All vary in options: sizes, internal configurations, roll v. slide drawers, temp ranges, and finishes. (Highest-end may extend storage):
Loft Wine Coolers “Best in class.” Available in full sizes (30-166) and mini (8)
Transtherm Wine Cabinets “Quietest, most advanced in the market” (165-534)
Le Cache Premium Wine Cabinets Fine hardwood furniture for fine wine (152-622)
Don’t forget Bottle Tags! Hang tags from bottlenecks to read details without disturbing.
IWA’s Long-Term Storage Solutions – For Life
Why Cellar? Unlike whisky, wine lacks the alcohol to preserve indefinitely. Whenever stored outside ideal ranges, it is subject to greatly-reduced aging time. For example, an age-worthy wine that normally requires 10 years’ aging could degrade in a few months if subjected to a span of 78°F thanks to a fridge malfunction or fluke power outage.
As the environment warms or cools, wine and air in the bottle expand or contract. The only thing that can give? The cork: it either moves slightly, or else some air/wine seeps past it in either direction. Multiple temperature fluctuations cause quite a bit of air to actually replace evaporating wine (thus low fill or ullage seen in older wines; oxidized flavors in others.)
Don’t let your investments prematurely pass their prime! Let the pros tackle your cellaring… IWA highly recommends—it’s simple and free to get started, and you have a say every step of the way.
Custom Wine Cellars
IWA Design Center: Free design services and architectural drawings from start to finish. Build Classic Wine Systems | Modern Racking Systems | Custom Wine Cabinets in 4 simple steps!
Have a cellar already? Upgrade or maintain with IWA, too! We sell all CellarPro Cooling Units:
- Visit our Thermal Load Calculator
- Fill out a short form about the construction of your cellar
- We’ll calculate its thermal load for your cellar – FREE!
Plug-and-Play Option
The BILD 800 Wine Room is an all-in-one, self-contained installation combining cellaring features with advanced CellarPro refrigeration. Up to 800 bottles.
Holiday Sign-off Tips
You trust IWA to help you coddle those drinkable babies until they’re perfectly primed for peak enjoyment, now make sure you serve conscientiously, too!
- Rest wines upright a few days to quietly allow bitter sediment to settle.
- Decant reds 1-5 hours prior to service, depending on wine. (50+ Decanters to choose from).
- 1-2 hours prior, chill whites down to varietal perfect temp using Chillers or Ice Buckets.
Don’t Judge: Some people like aged wines for the secondary flavors, and some don’t, preferring primary fruit flavors. Let all guests drink what they enjoy so you can enjoy each other’s company, instead!
About the Author: Sante! Lori Stevens is a former wine magazine food editor who has worked in multiple wineries and traveled throughout many of the world’s wine-producing regions. She currently lives in Seattle. Bottoms up!