What difference does it make whether you keep the wine bottles upright or lying down?
Whether you are in a cellar, a restaurant or a supermarket, you will always find bottles of wine either upright, lying down or in some cases, slightly inclined. So, is this just a fantasy or is it much more than that? Let's read on...
Why should I lay down my wine bottle when it stands upright?
The vast majority of wines have the particularity of being corked. However, cork is a material that dries out quite easily. To prevent this from happening, the cork must be kept in contact with the wine so that it remains moist and does not dry out. This is why a bottle of wine is kept lying down or tilted when you want to keep it for a long time.
But what is the problem if the cork dries out, isn't it the wine inside that is important?
When the cork dries out, it begins to crumble and reduce in size, allowing air to enter the bottle. When the wine has been in contact with the air for a long time, day after day, it will become very acidic and sour in the mouth, which is called oxidised (undrinkable) wine.
So should a bottle of wine always be kept lying down?
Not necessarily! There are also wines on the market with synthetic corks and wines closed with screw caps (like whisky). These types of closure do not dry out and are generally used for wines that are not meant to be kept for a long time. With these two types of closure, wine bottles can be stored upright without any worries and for as long as possible, without any risk.
So there is no need to remind you that wine is only at risk when it is exposed to the air for a long time.
Cheers!
Mathieu NLEND, l'oenophile Bantou
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