What are ideal temperature and humidity parameters for wine storage?
An ideal temperature for wine storage is 55°F with a 60% relative humidity. This temperature and RH will allow the wines to mature slowly and keep the corks from drying out. Higher temperature and RH cause faster maturing of the wines and the potential for mold and spoiling of the labels. Whatever temperature is chosen, it should remain constant. Fluctuations in temperature stress the wine and cause the liquid in the bottle to expand and contract. This expansion and contraction puts pressure on the seal of the cork against the bottle and causes premature leakage and spoilage.
