Back in the ancient world someone discovered that if he put yeast into grape juice he turned it into an entirely new drink. What he may or may not have understood is that yeast causes the grape juice to ferment which changes all the sugar in the juice into alcohol. He shared his drink with others who agreed that he had come up with something pretty good. That is when ancient peoples began intentionally making juice into wine.

There was a time when wine storage solutions were not much thought about. They used crocks and ewers to store their wine then. With few ways to control the temperature or humidity, no one could ever be certain that the storage of wine would serve to help it to reach the peak of full taste. It was discovered that caves and cellars enhanced the wine, and that is how the first wine cellars started.

Modern wine lovers have learned that wine needs different conditions depending on whether it is developing or being stored. These days, wine lovers also know that wine storage solutions have to meet a variety of different situations. Open wine racks can provide the proper type of wine storage for modest wines in a home, as long as the home is kept at a reasonable temperature and humidity.

Other more exacting wine lovers may want more precise conditions and opt to purchase and use wine storage coolers to protect the wine at its best possible quality. These can be tiny one bottle sizes to chill a bottle for individual use, or room sized refrigerated chambers or anything in between. What is being stored and the tastes and budget of the household will have a lot to do with which wine storage solutions are chosen.

It is a meticulous task to keep wine in top condition and keep it aging appropriately. There is little room for temperature variations. They only range from no lower than 40 degrees and no higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit, the more consistent the temperature the better. There is only one recommended allowance for change each year also at least fifty percent humidity should be maintained. Wines can also be ruined by light and so the cooler should be kept light tight and out of direct sunlight.

The preferred method for wine storage is that the bottles be lying on their sides horizontally. An angle up to 45 degrees will work, but angles less than 25 degrees are much better. You can use a cooler to stack loose bottles if you like; however, this arrangement makes it difficult to get to bottles in the bottom rows of the stack. Therefore, wine racks work better. When buying a wine rack, make sure it has spaces for wine bottles that are different shapes and sizes. If the rack is going to be on display, you should buy an attractive unit.