With Christmas over for another year, you may find you have a few extra bottles left behind after the festive season. But, is your wine collection getting too large for you to handle?
If you don’t have space for a dedicated wine storage rack and there’s no cellar in sight, have you considered storing some of those precious bottles at a self storage unit? Whilst our sites are not equipped for specialist wine storage, we do have wine resellers storing with us and also pub owners with excess stock.
You may have visions of grandeur when you think of a wine storage unit, but actually, this doesn’t have to be the case. Even small amounts of wine should be carefully considered when it comes to storing. For many connoisseurs looking for a suitable option, you may have thousands of pounds worth of the wine in your collection, and you won’t be doing it any favours if you don’t store it in the appropriate way. Here are our top tips for storing your best booze, whether that’s at a self storage unit or at home… #
1.Have you considered the temperature?
Having the optimum room temperature is quite possibly the most important element to consider when it comes to storing your wine properly. Simply put, the cooler the room, the longer your wine will last, a warm room will age it considerably quicker and leads it to being undrinkable.
You’re likely to have your heating ramped up over 20 degrees at this time of year, which could do some serious damage!
2. Wine flourishes in darkness
Wine cellars are usually within the basement of a house for this exact reason, and have you ever considered why some expensive wines are boxed or pre-wrapped when you purchase them?
UV rays from the sun can damage the wine and spoil the aroma, whilst wine bottles are designed to offer some UV protection, this isn’t enough if it’s left in direct sunlight.
3. Wine should be kept on its side
Why do you ask? Well, a wine bottle that is kept upright stops the contact between the wine and the cork. By keeping it on its side, you are keeping the cork nice and moist reducing the chances of it shrinking and allowing oxygen to enter the bottle.
Why is oxygen bad for my wine?
When too much oxygen comes into contact with your wine, a process called oxidation occurs. This is when oxygen reacts with compounds within the wine, producing off-flavours and aromas and resulting in browning of the wine. Although desirable for the likes of an Oloroso sherry or Tawny port, for most wines, too much oxygen contact spells disaster!
4. Is your collection safe and secure?
If you have a big wine collection, it’s probably worth quite a bit too. Not properly storing your wine could mean it’s not safe either and it may not always be accounted for in your insurance documents. By placing your wine in a self storage unit, you can rest assured it will be looked after and all the insurance will be sorted.
Wine storage isn’t just for collectors, are you a bar or restaurant looking to store your wine?
For many restaurateurs, it can be a struggle to find the space for all the alcohol you will need to have on standby, especially during this busy Christmas time. It might also be the case that and buying in bulk can save you a lot of money, so now it’s just a case of finding somewhere for it go.
For booze that can be kept more than a few weeks, having a self storage wine unit can become a real space saver, and with the discounts you will be saving by buying in bulk, really it’s a win-win situation. With our self storage units being close to both Dorchester and Weymouth, we are well-positioned to safely store your wine until you need to replenish your stock.
You can read our prices for storage units here, or get in contact here.
Why choose Hogleaze for wine storage?
With hundreds of units across our 2 locations in Weymouth in Dorchester, we have plenty of various options that are perfectly suited to look after your booze.
Each unit is:
- Monitored with CCTV
- Flexible access, with 24/7 entry at our Dorchester site with the use of a key fob and everyday access at Weymouth.
Contact Hogleaze today…
If a storage unit for your wine seems like a suitable option, get in contact with our storage experts by contacting us here, or calling Weymouth on 01305 830000 or our Dorchester site on 01305 889777.