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Storing wine correctly is essential in order to allow wines to age well. See this video guide on how to store wine by Decanter consultant editor Steven Spurrier.

Decanter consultant editor Steven Spurrier provides a step-by-step guide on how to store wine, particularly if you don’t have space for a wine cellar and you don’t want to pay for private wine storage.

‘There are certain rules you absolutely have to abide by,’ says Spurrier.

Steven Spurrier’s key rules for how to store wine at home:

Temperature: A classic wine cellar is 12 degrees Centigrade – 53 Fahrenheit. What you must avoid is high variations. So avoid the kitchen, which is hot when cooking and not so hot when you stop. Between 8 degrees Centrigrade and 15 degrees is fine.

Humidity: All good cellars need a certain amount of humidity, otherwise the corks will dry out. The wine should be stored on their sides lying down. It doesn’t matter so much with screwcap, because no air can get in.

Light: Strong light will change the colour of the wine. it’ll darken white wine and lighten red wine. A cellar should be as dark as it can be. Alternatives to cellar would be a cupboard under the stairs, a wardrobe or no light at all.

Movement: Once you store your wines, if it needs three or four years, or even 10 or 15 years to age, it should be moved as little as possible. I have wines in my cellar and some of the wines haven’t moved for 20 years.

Storage options: You can build a cellar yourself. Circular cellars can be built under your kitchen or living room and they’ll go down about six feet and you store wines all around the staircase. Otherwise, there’s Eurocave, which will store the wines perfectly at controlled temperature. Or just have a wine rack – put it in a cupboard or out of the way.

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Chris Mercer
Chris Mercer

Chris Mercer is a Bristol-based freelance editor and journalist who spent nearly four years as digital editor of Decanter.com, having previously been Decanter’s news editor across online and print.

He has written about, and reported on, the wine and food sectors for more than 10 years for both consumer and trade media.

Chris first became interested in the wine world while living in Languedoc-Roussillon after completing a journalism Masters in the UK. These days, his love of wine commonly tests his budgeting skills.

Beyond wine, Chris also has an MSc in food policy and has a particular interest in sustainability issues. He has also been a food judge at the UK’s Great Taste Awards.