The weekend is nearly here, and countless Britons will be looking forward to relaxing on the sofa with their go-to television programme and a lovely glass of wine. However, are you aware that there’s a correct method for storing your bottles, and chances are you’ve been getting it wrong your entire life?
On Reddit’s ‘Wine’ forum, a user enquired whether fellow members “store wine sideways or upright,” explaining: “I’ve heard it can oversaturate the cork if you store a wine bottle sideways, the wine is constantly against the cork, and it deteriorates into the wine. What’s the ideal way to store wine? Would the cork get too dry if the bottle is upright?”
Numerous respondents informed them that what they’d heard was “not right,” and that wine should be stored “lay down on the side so the cork remains moist.” One person commented: “That implies that the bottle must continually lose moisture.”
The original poster answered: “True, but the effect is very small. When you see an old bottle with a larger headspace than usual, you can be pretty sure that it experienced temperature swings that pushed wine out of the bottle and sucked in air in its place”
“When you remove the cork from a bottle that has been properly stored on its side, you will see that the moisture ends about halfway along the cork. The outside end is completely dry. Keeping a bottle upright will result in the cork drying out completely, allowing air into the bottle, oxidising and destroying the wine. Now that said, wines like vintage port will typically have a wax seal to prevent moisture escaping over the decades that the wine might potentially remain in the bottle, but these should still be stored on their side”.
However, someone insisted: “Storing upright is the way to go if you have a cellar with the right humidity. It won’t leach cork flavours into the wine, and the cork will remain intact longer”.
So, what’s the proper guidance?
According to Rowland King, storage specialist and director at Quality Bottles, keeping wine upright can significantly diminish its quality, even if you plan to drink it relatively soon. “When a bottle stands upright for long periods, the cork starts to dry out,” he said. “That allows small amounts of air into the bottle, causing oxidation, which dulls the flavour and aroma.”
He added this can occur more rapidly than many realise. “Even if you’re planning to drink it soon, storing wine upright for just a few weeks can start to damage it,” he said. “Keeping bottles on their side ensures the cork stays slightly moist, which forms a natural airtight seal and protects the wine inside”.
For those purchasing wine as presents or planning to store bottles for Christmas or other special occasions, Rowland recommends bearing one simple adjustment in mind. “A bottle of wine might not be cheap these days, so correct storage matters.
“A cool, dark place is ideal, away from direct sunlight, radiators, or warm cupboards. If you don’t have a wine rack, even laying bottles on their side in a kitchen cupboard will do the trick”.
He points out that this guidance applies to both red and white wines, irrespective of whether they are budget-friendly or premium varieties.
