You've been storing wine all wrong: 5 pro tips to get it right

One of life's best problems is having too many bottles of wine. But there is nothing worse than finally getting around to opening them only to discover they just don't taste right. Then comes the guilt when you realize how you stored that wine destroyed its flavor. But don't worry. Top Duplin Winery bartender Frank shares the answers to these five wine storage mistakes. Here's how to store wine to keep it at its best. 

1. Keeping wine too warm

If you're putting wine on top of the refrigerator, stop doing that right now. Don't store bottles near the stove either, or any place in your home that is on the warm side. Wine likes cool temperatures, around 55 degrees and no warmer than 65 degrees. Store bottles in the coolest place in your home. Duplin wines are just fine stored in the refrigerator. They are best served chilled, so when you store Duplin wines in the refrigerator, they are always ready to drink.

2. Letting in the light

Yes, that gorgeous wine rack you picked up at a vintage store looks great by the window. But your wine is not happy. At all. Light damages wine. So, move that rack away from any sunlight.

3. Thinking corks are better

Studies show screw caps keep wines fresher longer, from bottling to you putting the cap back on at home. Screw caps have been around since the 1950s, but they started popping up on high-quality wines in the mid-1970s after Australian winemakers got tired of battling wine quality issues caused by natural corks. A 10-year study by the Australian Wine Research Institute found that wine sealed with screw caps retained the most freshness over time. Today, screw caps are a quality standard at the best wineries. Experts know that screw caps are just plain better for wine. That's why Duplin has been transitioning all of its wines to screw caps since 2021.

4. Opening too many bottles

Air doesn't do wine any favors. Once air hits wine, flavor starts to diminish. That's why winemakers are so careful to choose the best closures.  When you throw a party, only open a few bottles at a time. Open fresh bottles when empties need to be replaced. 

5. Keeping wine too long

Holding on to wines is a common mistake. Very few wines are meant to be aged, and aging is an art all its own that requires research and special coolers. Duplin wines are best when they are young. And, honestly, why wait?