Wine. It’s true, it improves with age. For those of us who love to drink a glass or two, it can be a fun thing to collect. Whether your collection is meant for your own enjoyment or as an investment, there are things you should consider when it comes to keeping your wine in ideal conditions.
Where and how to store your wine is a big topic of conversation for wine enthusiasts. It is important to keep your collection protected from its enemies: air; extreme temperatures; humidity; and light. A wine cellar or some sort of temperature-controlled space or storage unit are important tools to help you do this. Read on for additional information on the factors that can affect your collection.
Air is public enemy #1 for wine. Allowing air to get past the cork can take a perfect wine and turn it sour. Although some will say it is unnecessary, storing your wine laying on its side will keep the cork wet and securely in place. Storing wine on its side has an added benefit; if you keep the label facing up, not only can you quickly identify what it is, you will also be protecting the label from damage. A damaged label decreases the value of the wine.
Keeping the temperature of your wines consistent is another very important factor. Wines stored in an environment that is too warm can cause the wine to age faster, “cook” it and result in a loss of flavor. Wines stored in an environment that is too cool can result in shrinkage of the cork and allow air to get into the bottle. The perfect storage temperature? 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Storing wine in a conventional refrigerator is not a good idea. Not only is the humidity (more on that below) typically around 20%, which is too low, the temperature is not consistent. The temperature in a fridge will fluctuate between certain set points, rising and falling cyclically. This cycle is not good for your wine.
When it comes to humidity, 20% is too low because it can result in a dry, shrinking cork. 80% is too high because it can cause mold. 70% is just right.
Light can prematurely age wine. Although many bottles are tinted enough to offer sufficient protection, in this case it is better to be safe than sorry. Store your wines in a dark space away from exposure to sunlight and UV rays.
If you are a wine enthusiast who is building a wine collection as an investment, you may want to obtain more robust coverage for your collection than that which is typically provided by a standard homeowners’ policy. You should consider obtaining either a rider or a designated policy that will provide coverage for your wines in the event of a covered loss (such as fire, theft, flood, breakage or earthquakes), as well as offer protection for your wines in the event of a temperature regulation system failure and during transit.
Be sure to frequently update your wine inventory and have your collection appraised, so that you can increase your coverage limits as needed. You do not want to be in a position to learn after the fact that your collection was worth more than you insured it for.
If your venture into collecting wines is just beginning, we can help you evaluate your goals so you can decide if you want blanket coverage or scheduled coverage. Many of our carriers also offer collectors resources such as storage advice or inventory management tools that can help wine enthusiasts who are just getting started. Additionally, we can help you verify whether any storage or temperature regulating systems are covered by your homeowners’ policy.
If you are passionate about wine and have a collection that needs insurance, we are here to help. If you are interested in beginning a wine collection, we can help with that as well. Let us know if we can answer any questions.
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