31 May Storing White Wine
The basics of storing wine are to keep it cool, dark and still; if it has a cork to keep it on its side, but beyond that each wine type has slightly different requirements. We are here to help you with some of the specifics for storing white wine.
Temperature
White wines should be served between 45 and 50°F. If you are aging your whites for a period of time you should be doing so at a consistent temperature of 52 to 57°F. If you are just storing until it’s time to drink then consider setting your wine fridge at 45° and taking the wine out of the fridge to warm up just before drinking. White wines rarely need decanting.
The average household refrigerator is approximately 37°F, which is considerably colder than recommended temperatures for white wine. The excessively cold temperature has a tendency to mute any vibrant flavors or aromas. The kitchen refrigerator is also a constant source of vibration, which is something you want to avoid for all wines. Your household fridge is adequate for a quick cool down, but is not recommended for long term wine storage
Age
Most white wines are intended to be consumed within two to three years of their creation and many white wines are best when consumed as close to their origination year as possible. Long term storage of white wines is not recommended. White wines which do improve with age include high end Chardonnay, White Burgundies, German Rieslings and some types of sweet wines like Sauternes or other high quality late harvest wines.
Location
Your chosen storage location mainly depends upon your budget. For economical and space saving storage a wine refrigerator is probably the best option. These can be adjusted to suit the required temperatures, minimize vibration and will keep those large bottles from taking up space in your kitchen fridge. Wine fridges also have convenient storage racks that cradle the bottles on their sides and prevent them from rolling around and disturbing the sediment.
In general, as long as you continue to store your wine with the basic rules of cool, dark and sideways, you should have no problems when it comes time to serve it. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a resealed bottle for 3 to 5 days; after that the flavors have turned but the wine can still be used for cooking.