IS IT POSSIBLE TO KEEP WINE WITHOUT A CELLAR?

Are you starting to accumulate a few bottles, or planning to?

When you surpass a certain number of bottles or wish to age your wine to enjoy a fine vintage in a few years, the question of storage becomes crucial.

Crucial because wine is a living product that must be stored under the right conditions to prevent your project from turning (literally) into vinegar.

Crucial, because not everyone is fortunate enough to have a wine cellar!

What ambient factors influence wine preservation?

Wine is a subtle balance of aromas, which can be noticed with a simple tasting: a few degrees can significantly change its aromatic profile. The precise chemistry that allows these aromas to emerge and evolve over the aging of a bottle is also quite delicate. Many factors can either foster a measured evolution of this balance and give you a great vintage or negatively and permanently alter its taste.

This chemical balance depends on:

• Ambient temperature and its stability: It is recommended to store aging wines at around 12 degrees Celsius and to avoid temperature shocks (large variations in this temperature);
• Light exposure, or rather its absence: Direct light exposure can have severe consequences for wine in the medium to long term;
• Lack of vibrations: These also negatively impact wine;
• Ambient humidity: This is important not directly for the wine but for the cork. A cork that is too dry may let air in and oxidize the wine.

Each criterion can lead to faults that you might have heard of. A wine can be considered "cooked," have a "light taste," or be "oxidized."

What are your options if you don't have a cellar?

If you don't have a cellar, the goal is to minimize risks and closely approximate these ideal conditions.

The simplest and safest method is to use household appliances. There are many models of aging or service wine coolers, in all sizes, which ensure wine preservation even without a cellar. This is a safe but costly choice.

Otherwise, you will first need to identify a dark place away from potential vibrations (for example, far from the washing machine or dishwasher). Then, consider using a thermometer-hygrometer to assess the temperature and humidity of your potential storage area. The temperature should be around 12 degrees Celsius, and humidity should be above 50%, ideally at 80%.

Whether these criteria are perfectly met or you have simply isolated the part of your apartment that comes closest, two little tips can be adopted for extra security:

• Wrap your bottles in newspaper to ensure minimal light exposure;
• Store them in cardboard (their original box if you have it) to improve temperature regulation and cushion any potential vibrations.