StorageHow to Store Wine at Home
Around the world, people have enjoyed different types of wine for thousands of years. Each region has its own specialty and particular taste that locals love. Throughout the centuries, winemakers have found new ways to create interesting and delightful flavors. Naturally, skilled wineries have developed a robust reputation for their high-quality vintages, which developed an eager following of tasters and collectors. If you are an avid collector of wine and are not shy about spending money on the best bottle, you want to make sure that your wine is always kept in the best conditions. But when it's time to move, how do you keep your wine safe when it's out of the wine fridge?
Knowing the proper way to move wine bottles to your new residence is key to protecting your investment and making sure that you can enjoy your favorite wines at your new place. So how do you move your wine to a new location while protecting its flavor and integrity? This guide will answer the most frequently asked questions about moving wine.
Q: What conditions does wine need during storage?
When you store wine at home, it's advised that you keep it in the temperature range between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, although 55 degrees is considered the “perfect” temperature. However, if your storage solution falls within this range for most of the year, you should be fine. This is why the best place to store wine is typically in a cellar or in a dedicated wine fridge that is set to 55 degrees.
Refrigerators are not ideal places for wine since they averaged 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, which is too cold for keeping your wine's flavor fresh and delicious. When your wine is stored in this temperature range, it will mature at the desired pace and develop rich and wonderful flavors. The right conditions truly make a difference when it comes to the saying, “aging like fine wine!”
Do I need to hire movers with experience with wine?
Yes, it's advised that you hire movers that have experience with wine. If you go with any run-of-the-mill mover that posted an ad on social media, you don't know what you're going to get. If you have high-end items that need special care, you must invest in quality services. After all, you get what you pay for.
Do your research about your local movers to find out who has first-hand experience with packing and transporting wines in their optimal conditions. The longer the distance you have to relocate, the more complicated your transit situation will be. These professionals should have the right packing materials to make sure your wine bottles do not break and stay insulated throughout the move. They should also assure you that your wine will arrive safely and demonstrate their best practices for packing wine.
Q: Do I need to insure my wine before moving?
Yes, it's important to ensure wine before your move if it's extremely valuable and unique. For example, you wouldn't need to insure an $8 bottle of wine from the supermarket, but if you have a limited edition bottle from a famous wine region, and you're waiting another 20 years to open it up, then you need to ensure your wine collection.
Talk with your movers to set up the right type of insurance policies that will cover your belongings during transit. To protect yourself against any unknowns, take pictures of everything as well. It doesn't hurt to have a list of the type of wine you have, where they're from, and how much they're worth. In this way, if anything is damaged during the move, you can be adequately compensated.
Q: Does my wine need special packaging?
Yes, you're winding special packaging. In fact, the right packaging can make all the difference. Although it is possible to make a DIY wine box with cardboard compartments, it's more convenient to get wine boxes that already come with cardboard or Styrofoam inserts. These are cut to the exact dimensions of the typical bottle of wine and are designed to stop them from shifting and breaking during the move.
If you have any doubt about the quality of your boxes or your packing materials, just go to the experts and ask them for special wine packaging. If you plan to store your wine in a storage rental unit, you can also ask any customer care representative for their best recommendations regarding wine storage.
Q: Can I use a storage rental for my wine?
Yes, it’s possible to keep your wine in a storage rental unit — especially when you use a service that offers secure wine storage. If you just need a few days, your wine can also temporarily be okay in a normal climate-controlled storage unit. Depending on the season you're moving in, you may also get lucky and obtain a storage unit when the outdoor temperatures average 45 to 55 degrees.
Overall, it’s best to choose a wine storage locker so you can have total peace of mind about the room’s lighting, humidity levels, and temperature at once. Worried about outages? Don’t sweat it. We have backup generators to make sure our wine lockers always stay at the desired 55 degrees that wine needs to mature. If you're interested in selecting a storage rental locker specifically made for wine, contact us today.
We're Your Storage Solution!
Storage Rentals of America is your convenient self-storage solution. So come into our office or give our storage experts a call at 1-800-457-5678. Our call center is available 7 days a week and can help determine which storage unit size best fits your storage needs.
