Today, many people now view wine collecting as investing. People buy good wines and store them and in time the value of the wine increases and in many cases this value increase can be substantial.
Wine needs to be stored in the correct temperature and humidity in order that it remains in perfect condition. Wine should also be stored in a still environment with no odors in the air and in a location where there is adequate security to protect your investment.
Storage Temperature
The correct temperature for storing wine is 56 – 58 degrees F.
Humidity
Humidity levels of 70% RH or higher is optimal for wine storage. At this humidity level cork shrinkage is prevented which can cause oxygen to slowly leak in to the bottle this causing oxidation and the conversion of the wine to acid.
Labels
Labels also need to be protected while the wine is in storage. This can be difficult as the high humidity environment will not help keep the label intact or free from staining. Most
wine storage companies will have plastic protectors to protect the labels on the wine. Be sure to check with the facility you plan on storing your wine with to see if they have these, if not you can purchase yourself and apply to the bottle before they are stored.