1. Not all wines should be or need to be aged

Actually, 90% of wines should be consumed within a year of production. Many wines are already at their peak when being sold making fine wines very accessible to a wide range of people. This doesn't mean you shouldn't properly store your wines!

Wines can go bad quickly if not properly stored because of their delicate nature. Maintaining the right temperature consistently will ensure you can enjoy your wines at their peak and keep them at the perfect serving temperature.

The most economical means of storing and maintaining the quality of your wines is with a wine refrigerator. Here are the top rated wine refrigerators by wine professionals in our article here. Also, learn more recommended serving temperatures in our guide here.

2. Humidity is one of the key components to proper wine preservation

Temperature is what people often focus on the most when it comes to wine storage but the incorrect humidity can be detrimental to your wine. Humidity prevents your cork from drying out and shrinking, which would allow oxygen into your wines ruining your wine. On the other end of the spectrum, high humidity can cause mold to develop.

Again, like temperature control, the most affordable means to achieve optimal humidity is through a wine refrigerator. Wine refrigerators are designed specifically for optimal temperature and humidity conditions. You can learn more about factors that ruin wine in this article.

3. Not all wines are vegan

A little known fact is that not all wines are vegan! How is this possible? Well, some go through a filtration process that uses animal byproducts like gelatin. A process known as ‘fining', clarifies and removes fine molecules out of the wine that make these wines clear and bright. Most fining agents that help remove the haziness from wines are made of animal byproducts; however, many winemakers today have found other alternative fining agents.

4. Wine bottles should always be stored lying down

This is because this ensures the wine touches the cork, preventing it from drying out and exposing the wine to oxygen. This is extremely important when you're choosing a wine refrigerator or wine racks. Since there are such a wide variety of wine rack and shelf styles, it is best to focus on choosing a style that will protect your wines from premature degradation. Check out our guide on how to choose a wine rack here.

5. The flavors of your wine are dictated by the temperature of the wine

Serving temperature is a real thing! A wine's sweetness is reduced when chilled; however; red wines lose their fruity flavor when they become too warm.

We recommend always storing your wines for serving in a wine refrigerator set to the perfect serving temperature for that wine. Storing your wine at room temperature and attempting to cool it down to the ideal serving temperature can destroy the delicate aromas and notes. As you are drinking your wine to avoid the bottle heating up, place it back in your wine refrigerator or wrap the bottle in a cold wet towel.

Also, holding your wine glass by its stem prevents your body heat from warming your wine too much, and affecting the flavor. If you have stateless glassware, try holding your wine glass near the top to prevent the heat from your hands transferring to the wine.