Why You Should Never, Ever Store Your Wine Standing Up (Unless It’s a Twist-Off)

Hey, have you ever noticed that every single wine rack stores vino on its side? It’s not just a coincidence. If it has a cork in it, the golden rule of wine storage says you should stash it away horizontally.

Here’s why: You want the wine to come into contact with the cork and prevent it from drying out. Otherwise, two things will happen…

In the short term, little bits of cork will crumble into the wine when you open it (so annoying to fish out of your glass). Down the road, the cork will shrink and lead to oxidation—in other words, a completely undrinkable bottle.

If you’re going to drink your tasty beverage pretty quickly (within the month), there’s no need to worry about storage; leave it standing on the counter or door of the fridge.

But what about shops that store everything upright? Usually their wine has a fast turnaround; and you’ll notice that more expensive bottles are still kept on their sides.

Hey, look on the bright side: Now you have an excuse to pop open your Sauv Blanc as soon as you get it home. (Kidding. Sort of.)