Trying to start the right way

[island]

I love to drink wines, but have never been really into the "correct" storage of them. Recently purchasing a couple bottles from a trip for around $300, we bought a 54 bottle stand alone, to keep our wine good till we want to open.

If I will be storing both reds and whites together, what is the optimal temp for these?
How much light is too much light? If the standalone is in the kitchen, should I think about tinting the inside glass to darken it up?
Someone told me that chards last a long time. How long should I give them till they go bad?

[hotwine]

Welcome to the board, Island. Whites and reds should be stored at the same temperature, between 55 and 57 degrees F. Storage should be away from strong light (dark, preferably) and vibration-free. The kitchen environment is OK provided the temperature, light and vibration requirements are met with the storage unit. It's also desirable to maintain the relative humidity (RH) of the storage facility in the 60-70% range, to protect the integrity of the corks and labels.

As for long-term storage of Chardonnays: I'll defer to someone else on that, since that's not a grape I favor, given the usual tendency of producers to oak it to death.

[wineguruchgo]

Hello Island,

Unless you are talking good Burgundy Chardonnay I wouldn't lay them down for years like you can the reds.

Also, not all reds cannot be laid down for years either.

Most wines today are made to be consummed within the first year or two of bottling becuase most people don't collect. They buy the bottle the day or two before opening.

If you have questions about particular bottles, especially the expensive ones, please feel free to post about them and we will give you our humble opinions.