Go take a look at your wine cellar, be it a small mass-produced chiller or an opulent, pine-racked custom beauty. I’ll bet every bottle is stored on its side. But have you ever stopped to ask why we all cellar our wine in the horizontal position?
According to Dr. Paulo Lopes, Research and Development Manager at Amorim Cork, the reason wine lovers default to this setting is a result of nothing more than a hard habit to break. Lopes uses science to bust the myth that all wines need to be resting on their sides. He has proven that yes, wine can be stored upright with no ill effects — if you strive to maintain proper humidity and temperature levels.
You may also be surprised to learn that sparkling wine should always be stored upright. Want to know why? Check out Deborah Parker Wong’s article on Lopes’ findings.
The Grape Geeks 