Wine Storage Temperature

Wine storage temperature is the most important factor to consider when keeping wine for long. Even wine kept for a few weeks or months can be affected by the temperature at which it is stored.

All wine is best stored between 45º - 60º F (7.0º - 15.5º C), with 50º to 55º F (10º to 13.º C) being the optimal range. White wine temperature will be the same as red wine temperature.

It’s believed there’s some historic reasoning behind this optimal temperature. In France, wine is typically stored in caves where the natural underground temperature is around 13°C (55º F).

Barrel cave at Justin Winery in Paso Robles

If you’re going to open your wine within a day or two, keeping it the refrigerator will work fine. Just be sure to bring each bottle to the correct serving temperature when it's time.

The reason temperature is important is because wines age faster at a higher temperature, and chemically, a high temperature is bad for wine.

You can tell by the color of your wine if excessive heat has damaged it. The wine will look brown.

To achieve the optimal temperature it's best to have a wine cellar or a wine cooler.

Wine coolers come in several different sizes and are made by a variety of manufacturers. Wine cellars can be custom made or home made depending upon how much time you have and upon your budget.

Sometimes wine can be stored in a cool basement, as long as all other wine storage requirements are met.

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