Wine Storage: Humidity

Humidity is a key factor in long term storage of wines.  Air that is too dry will simply dry the cork out and allow oxygen to enter the bottles of wine which will spoil the wine through oxidation of the alcohols inside the bottle. 

Not only does the wine spoil, but if the air is dry for a long period of time, the bottles will begin to leak as the cork will no longer fit as snuggly. 

If you don’t check the wines for extended periods of time, the fridge could be damaged.  If one bottle leaks, bacteria can feed on the spillages which will lead to mould growth.

Air that is too wet can also be damaging as the cabinet can become moist inside if the water molecules evaporate and condense on the side of the wine cabinet.  This will lead to mould growth inside the cabinet as mould loves moisture! 

It will also mean that some of the bottles will be damaged, in particular the label as the lettering will smudge.  It’s not all bad news though, the cork will remain moist so the wine will be absolutely fine to drink!

The ideal humidity levels for the above problems to not occur is between 60 and 85% relative humidity.

Wine cabinets have active humidifiers and also sensors which monitor the humidity level within the cabinet.

These maintain the internal humidity between 55 and 85%, and in most cases will deliver a warning that is audible or visible if the humidity has strayed out of the tolerance range for extended periods of time.

In hotter, dryer countries most wine cabinets will be delivered with a water tray which can be filled. 

The water will evaporate and the water molecules will be distributed evenly throughout the wine cabinet via the internal fans, therefore raising the relative humidity within the cabinet. 

In cooler countries, the humidity generally isn’t an issue as the air is generally quite moist.

If humidity is something that’s a must when you’re looking to buy expert wine storage, look no further than Swisscave’s humidification series. Swisscave manufactures some of the best wine storage units o the market today, including a range of key features in their designs - humidity control being one of them.

If you’re spoilt for choice, their WLB460FHU-MIX unit has proven popular amongst those who are after expert humidity and temperature controls. To shop our Swisscave products, be sure to check out our recent collection today to find your dream product - if you require any additional information about Swisscave wine coolers, contact a member of our team.

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before being published

SWISSCAVE Wine Coolers

SWISSCAVE Classic - 600mm Dual Zone - 40 Bottles - Freestanding / Built in Wine Cooler - WL155DFSWISSCAVE Classic - 600mm Dual Zone - 40 Bottles - Freestanding / Built in Wine Cooler - WL155DF
Sale priceFrom £1,479.00
SWISSCAVE Classic - 600mm Dual Zone - 40 Bottles - Freestanding / Built in Wine Cooler - WL155DF
  • Dual Zone
  • 2-4 Year Warranty
  • Freestanding or Built in
  • H82cm x W60cm x D57cm
SWISSCAVE
No reviews
SWISSCAVE - Classic Edition 154 Bottles Dual Zone Wine Cooler WL455DFSWISSCAVE - Classic Edition 154 Bottles Dual Zone Wine Cooler WL455DF
Sale priceFrom £2,389.00
SWISSCAVE - Classic Edition 154 Bottles Dual Zone Wine Cooler WL455DF
  • Dual Zone
  • 2-4 Year Warranty
  • Freestanding or Built in
  • H172cm x W60cm x D72.5cm
SWISSCAVE
2 reviews
SWISSCAVE - Classic Edition 169 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cooler WL455FSWISSCAVE - Classic Edition 169 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cooler WL455F
Sale priceFrom £2,299.00
SWISSCAVE - Classic Edition 169 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cooler WL455F
  • Single Zone
  • 2-4 Year Warranty
  • Freestanding or Built in
  • H180cm x W59.5cm x D71cm
SWISSCAVE
3 reviews