Should I Store Wine on Its Side? [Detailed 2024 Guide]

Every wine collection owner will agree that stashing those bottles properly while displaying their labels can be a challenge.

Should I store wine on its side?

Is it better to store wine upside down or on the side?

What is the best position to store wine?

These are some of the most popular questions being asked by wine lovers.

The truth is your wine storage position doesn’t really matter, provided you maintain the recommended temperature and relative humidity. This guide answers your questions on the best position to store wine and also outlines creative storage solutions for inspiration!

The Traditional Wisdom: Why Store Wine on Its Side?

For generations, the standard practice has been to store wine bottles on their sides as opposed to storing wine upright. The logic behind this tradition is that storing wine on its side keeps the cork moist. As corks dry out, they shrink and let air into the bottle, speeding up oxidation and spoiling the wine. When wine is stored sideways, the wine itself keeps the cork damp, creating an airtight seal.

Other reasons influencing the popular choice of storing wines horizontally are sedimentation and evaporation.

Sediment Issues

Some wines, especially reds, produce sediment as they age. A wine stored on its side allows the sediment to accumulate at the bottom of the bottle, preventing it from getting stirred up when the wine is poured. Although wine sediments are not harmful, many people will appreciate a clear, fine wine.

Evaporation Concerns

When a wine bottle is upright, the surface area of wine exposed to air is greater, allowing for faster evaporation. At a high enough temperature, enough wine can evaporate to substantially change the flavor profile of the remaining wine. On its side, less surface area is exposed, slowing down evaporation. For long-term aging, the cooler temperatures of a wine cellar also help limit evaporation.

While tradition and conventional wisdom recommend storing wine on its side, most casual drinkers store wine upright, especially if the wine will be consumed within a few weeks. In fact, research done by the Australian Wine Research Institute shows that while the wetness of the cork is significantly higher in wines stored horizontally, the effects are not well pronounced. Therefore, it’s advisable to store your wine in the most temperature-efficient manner. Read on for some creative wine storage solutions for long-term aging.

6 Creative Solutions for Displaying Wine on Its Side

Wine storage has certainly evolved over the years. At Wine Cellar Company, we understand our customers and value their desire for an aesthetically creative solution to their storage needs.

Below are some popular styles that we often build for our clients; you can reach out to us if you’re interested in any of these designs:

1. Displaying wine at an angle

2. Aesthetically custom

3. Lights, Lights and more Lights

4. Metal vs Wood Wine Racking

5. Contemporary wine walls

1. Displaying Wine At An Angle

For the wine connoisseur who wants the best of both worlds—proper storage and an artful display—angled storage is an innovative solution. Racks are designed at a 45–60 degree angle, allowing bottles to remain on their side while prominently showcasing the wine label. The slight angle is enough to keep the cork moist.

2. Aesthetically Custom

Can’t decide between horizontal display, individual storage or multiple bottle storage? 

Why not all of the above?

Wine cellar customization allows you to feature your wines through a horizontal label view display while also maximizing your bottle count with multiple-bottle or individual-bottle storage. Your cellar can be designed around the way you currently collect or plan to collect.

The horizontal label view allows for proper long-term aging since it permits the storage of wine on its side. It also allows you to display the bottle label. For the ultimate customization, have your cellar designed with wood, metal and/or acrylic accents to match your home’s decor.

3. Lights, Lights and More Lights

You can never have enough lighting in a wine cellar. The key is in dimming the lighting to create a mood and different looks. Almost all of our cellars include some type of built-in LED strip lights in addition to recessed lighting.

Backlighting is another new trend. It highlights the entire wall while creating dramatic shadows, putting your collection center stage. Showcase bottles from your favorite winery or vintage — the possibilities for customization are endless.

LED lighting produces very little heat, which means it won’t interfere with your collection’s ideal aging conditions. With smart technology, you can even control the lighting remotely with the touch of a button on your phone.

4. Metal vs Wood Racking

While we continue to build and install many traditional wood cellars, metal racking is now becoming more popular. Whether you’re ultramodern or transitional, we can design a metal cellar just for you. No two cellars of ours are alike, and there are so many options that we can help you find just the right look.

5. Contemporary Wine Walls

A more traditional cellar with a solid door is now getting replaced with a contemporary wine wall offering sleek storage with lots of display and lighting. The new size cellar is a long wall of display with lots of frameless glass. People are now opting for cellars built in dining rooms and other areas on the first floor over basement cellars.

These upscale yet innovative storage solutions let you keep your wine on its side as recommended while also putting your collection on full display. If you’re interested in any of these wine cellar designs, please reach out to us at Wine Cellar Company. Want to know what we think of the ideal wine storage condition? Read on to find out!

Should I Store Wine on Its Side? (Our Verdict)

We recommend keeping wine on its side to keep the cork moist. However, many wine cellars today are designed to display bottles at a 45-60 angle instead. The angle allows you to easily monitor the cork for drying while still showcasing your collection — giving you the best of both worlds. As long as the humidity in your cellar remains moderate, around 55 to 70%, angled storage can be a good solution for you.

Reach out to us today to design the best cellar for you. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it OK to store wine upright?

Wine stored upright is OK for short-term drinkers, but for long-term aging, it’s best to lay the bottle horizontally. This helps keep the cork moist and ensures a proper seal, which helps control the aging process.

Is it okay to store wine horizontally?

Storing wine horizontally is not only space-efficient but also crucial for keeping the cork moist, which is essential for long-term preservation. If wine racks aren’t available and you plan to store wine for over a year, storing bottles upside down, in this case, is a practical alternative.

Conclusion

Clearly, you can adopt the age-old practice of storing wine on its side, depending on the number of bottles you have and the value of your collection. While it may not be as critical as once thought, if your collection is small and you plan to turn over more often, it’s still a safer way to store your wine.

We also consider storing wine at the proper angle just as safe as storing it on its side — both of these methods will help keep corks moist and prevent leakage. It’s important to note that high-quality cork coupled with proper cellar cooling and humidity are also important in wine storage.

Reach out to us at Wine Cellar Company to find the best storage solution for your wine collection and space.