Most wine drinkers know that aged wine tastes better (and costs more). Additionally, they also know that storage can play an important role in these matters.
The arrangements made here can make a big difference to the wine tasting experience, optimising taste, and of course, enjoyment.
Can You Store White And Red Wine Together?
Yes! Especially in a wine fridge suitable for red and white wines.
There are some additional things about storing wine that everybody knows as well. For instance, most would assume that the bottles are stored horizontally within a rack. Still, nuances remain in storage too.
Listen to this post here:
Storage measures may vary between white wines and red wines, and yet there may be room for some elements of lax and crossover also.
You needn’t be a full-fledged oenologist to make a success of storing your red and white wines - simply read the tips below to get an idea of what you’re dealing with.
General Methods of Storing Red and White Wines
There’s more than one way to break an egg, and fortunately, there’s more than one way to store wine also.
For red wines, the use of a cupboard or a wine rack should generally suffice. Keep the bottles out of sunlight also, and closer to the floor than the ceiling if possible. Fortunately, there are no other extensive measures that are mandatory to take here, so long as the bottles are stored in a cool, dry place. However, the optimal storage solution is a red wine fridge which we stock at Expert Wine Storage.
For white wines, things can become more involved. It’s essential for them to be sufficiently chilled. The most obvious path forward here is to invest in a wine cellar. Due to their tendencies to having arched ceilings, lined columns, and extensive brickwork, acquiring one can be a considerable and costly challenge.
They typically feature underground to stabilise lower temperatures, regardless of the time of year.
What If You Don’t Have a Wine Cellar?
If you don’t have the luxury of an underfloor wine cellar, that’s okay. You still have a plentiful supply of options.
One way to go could be to store white wines in specially made wine fridges. Additionally,built-in wine coolers are also a worthy substitute due to the level of temperature control they afford and by the fact that they can store up to hundreds of bottles at a time.
Don’t be alarmed to find that the wine can be stored upside down on occasion here, in addition to being stored in the regular horizontal fashion. This continues to prevent problems with the cork, such as it potentially being dried out and subsequently redundant.
You can also explore options infreestanding wine coolers that help with ageing the wine. They maintain the perfect environmental conditions of a basement wine cellar and achieve either high or complete UV protection. If a wine cellar is out of reach, for now, this is likely the next best step forward.
Ideal Temperatures for Storing Red and White Wines
Storing wine requires a degree of precision and certainly isn’t something you can just flounder into while hoping for the best. Temperature is a key factor here, especially with white wines.
Varied temperatures may start to affect the cork of the wine and the pressure it undergoes. Exposed to heat over time, small gaps may occur where oxygen can pass through beyond the cork and thereby spoil the wine. Remember, the greatest nemesis of fine wine is oxygen!
Try tostore your white wines between 8-10 degrees Celsius and your red at 16-18 degrees Celsius for the best results. Consistency is key, so be sure to monitor the temperatures of any devices and surrounding areas regularly. The best tool for this job is likely the previously mentioned built-in wine cooler, as you can acutely control the temperatures it omits with ease.
If you don’t have access to the solutions outlined so far, then an area such as your garage will have to suffice.
So… Can They Be Stored Together?
The definitive answer is that, yes, red and white wines can be stored together without incident providing the temperature is correct.
Still, while this is technically possible, separating red and white wines in storage before filling your glasses may optimise the wine drinking experience.
This is all frequently debated among fans and connoisseurs, and where you land in it yourself depends almost entirely on personal preference. The crucial distinction between red and white wines is that they’re not only stored but also served at markedly different temperatures to one another.
Therefore, if you’re someone who knows that the devil is in the details when it comes to wine tasting, storing them together right before serving is inadvisable.
However, over a long-term stagnant period, you should encounter no problems storing them together. Be sure to separate them in advance of any drinking so that each bottle has time to acclimatise to their ideal serving temperatures – 15-20 degrees Celsius for reds and 7-12 degrees Celsius for whites.
Innovative Wine Walls
You can think outside the box somewhat when it comes to storing either type of wine.
For instance, wine walls can be an innovative solution also. They’re equipped with a refrigerator casing, LED lights, and the potential for visually stunning displays. Wine walls are also perfect for both domestic and professional settings, making them versatile enough for any wine-drinking occasion you can think of.
Still, context is key here. If your wine wall or wine fridge is on display in a commercial setting, it may be best to keep your red wines and white wines apart. This will inform any observant customers that you know what you’re doing and that they can be served the most delicious wine possible in a pinch.
Consider style also. Wine walls are fashionable, storing wines, glasses, and decanters in aesthetically appealing arrangements. Not only will they be effective in keeping your wines cooled, but wine walls can also make your abode or workplace premises appear more fashionable and upmarket.
Can you arrange reds and whites in a visually striking manner? If so, and they won’t be consumed anytime soon, then why not do so?
Related:
- Wine Cooler Not Turning On
- How Long Does Wine Last
- How Noisy Is A Wine Cooler
- Wine Cooler Buying Guide
- Wine Fridge Leaking Water
- What Is A Wine Cooler?
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed our article on storing red and white wine together.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, or email us at info@expertwinestorage.co.uk
You can browse more posts on Wine Storage here.
Author: 
Leave a comment (all fields required)