Ideal Red Wine Storage Temperature: A Handy Guide

The ideal red wine storage temperature ranges between 45–65°F (8–18°C).

The exact temperature you choose depends on the type of red wine and how long you need to store it. 

In this article, we’ll cover the ideal red wine storage temperature, how to serve, and what happens to red wine if it’s stored incorrectly.

Also, interestingly, the ideal temperature is just one factor that can affect the quality of your red wine. So, we’ll also look at how best to store different kinds of red wines and some other handy wine storage tips to ensure you get the most out of your red wines!

What Is The Ideal Red Wine Storage Temperature?

Ideally, your red wine should be stored at an optimal temperature of around 55°F (12°C).

For wines that will be stored for more than a year, you’ll need to strictly maintain an ideal temperature of 55°F. For shorter-term storage, you should keep a wine temperature of between 45– 65°F.

In all cases, it’s essential to maintain a constant temperature. Switching between different temperatures can damage wine labels, cause oxidation, and will age the wine prematurely. 

Red Wine Storage And Serving Temperature (For Full-Bodied, Light-to-Medium & Sweet Reds)

Generally, red wines should be served slightly cooler than room temperature, between 62–68°F degrees. 

However, the proper serving and storing temperatures depends on the wine style.

Here are the ideal storage and serving temperatures for full-bodied, light-to-medium, and sweet red wines:

1. Full-Bodied Red Wines

Full-bodied red wines usually have an alcohol content of over 13.5%. These wines are typically made with thick-skinned grape varieties with rich flavors and high tannin levels.

2. Light-To-Medium Red Wines

Medium-bodied red wines have an alcohol content of between 12.5–13.5%, while light reds are below 12.5%. These wines are usually made with thin-skinned, delicate red grapes (like those made from the Pinot Noir grape variety.)

3. Sweet Red Wines

Sweet wines like Port can be served at room temp, while sparkling sweet wines should be served at below cellar temperature.

Why You Should Store Red Wine At The Right Temperature

Storing red wine at the wrong temperature can negatively affect the wine’s flavors and aging potential. 

Here’s what will happen if you store red wine at a lower or higher temperature:

What happens if you store red wine at a temperature above 65°F?

Storing red wine at a warmer temperature will cause the wine to age more quickly. 

Once the temperature reaches above 70°F, the red wine will heat up, reducing its rich flavors and aromas. Heat can also damage the wine’s seal, triggering the oxidation process and spoiling the wine. 

What happens if you store red wine at a temperature below 45°F?

Storing your red wine at a cooler temperature will slow down the aging process. 

However, this will make it more difficult to age a bottle of red wine correctly since you can no longer follow standard aging wine timetables. 

Additionally, storing wine at a cold temperature of about 20°F can break the wine’s cork and seal and even crack the wine bottle. 

Ideal Red Wine Storage Conditions

Apart from maintaining the proper temperature, there are a few other factors that you need to consider when storing your red wine:

1. Proper Storage Facility 

You can purchase a wine fridge or wine cooler to store your red wines for short periods. 

A wine refrigerator also comes in handy if you need to chill your red wine to the perfect temperature before serving it. But, ensure you set the wine fridge temperature to between 50–65°F (11–18°C) for red wines. 

For larger collections, you should consider a wine cellar, basement, wine cabinet, or any other enclosed space that will prevent a drastic temperature fluctuation. 

But keep in mind that it can be complicated and expensive to build and maintain a wine storage facility for an extensive wine collection on your own.

Fortunately, wine collectors can professionally store their wine collection through Vinovest– a reliable online investment platform.

Vinovest’s state-of-the-art storage facilities maintain the proper temperature, light, and relative humidity conditions.

2. Correct Bottle Position 

Corked red wines should be stored horizontally in a wine rack. Storing the wine on its side will keep the cork moist and prevent the wine from aging too quickly. 

Although screw-capped bottles don’t necessarily need to be stored horizontally, doing so can still help you save space in your wine cellar.

3. No Vibrations

You should keep your red wines away from vibrations (like the vibrations caused by household appliances and exercise equipment.)

Vibrations can disturb the sediment in the bottle and disrupt the aging wine process, resulting in a bitter taste and unpleasant aromas. 

4. Perfect Relative Humidity

To ensure the perfect wine preservation environment, it’s crucial to maintain a humidity level of between 50–70% (with 60% being ideal). 

At a humidity level of over 70%, the wine labels on your bottles will get damaged, making them difficult to display and sell to wine collectors. At humidity levels below 50%, your wine’s cork will dry out and the wine will oxidize. 

5. Darkness

Whether you’re storing your red wine for days, months, or years, it’s essential to keep the wine bottle in the dark. This is because direct sunlight can severely damage the wine’s flavors and aromas.

Other Important Wine Storage Tips

Here are a few other handy wine storage tips:

• Traveling with wine: If you have to travel with a bottle of wine, avoid putting it in your car’s trunk. Instead, place the bottle on the passenger seat where you can control the temperature.

• Opened bottles: If stored properly, an opened bottle of red wine can last 2–5 days, while an opened bottle of white wine can last 2–3 days. Just ensure the bottle is recorked and immediately put it in the fridge.

• Storage time: Depending on the quality of the wine, somered wine bottles can be stored for 2–10 years, while some whites can last for 2–3 years. Some of the finest bottles can even be stored for decades in a wine cellar.  

Store Your Red Wine Professionally Through Vinovest

Red wine bottles need to be stored at the optimal temperature and in the right conditions to ensure they age correctly and preserve their delicious flavors.

Opting for a professional storage facility like Vinovest’s warehouses will ensure all your wine bottles are stored in perfect conditions. 

And apart from storing your wines, Vinovestcan also help you buy and sell any fine wine bottle with ease.