Choose a type of grape. As with any plant, certain types of grapes grow better in different areas and offer up different flavors and appearances. There are three general types of grapes: American, European, and Muscadine grapes. American grapes grow best in warm, sunny climates like that of central California.
Before Opening. 1  1. Keep it in the dark. Store all wines away from light, especially direct sunlight and fluorescent fixtures. 2  2. Store corked wine bottles on their sides. If they are stored upright for a long amount of time, the corks will dry out, and air will eventually get to the wine, spoiling it. 3  3. Keep the temperature constant. For extended aging of wine (over 1 year), refrigeration is a must in most parts of the world; even a below-ground cellar is not cool enough. Wine storage temperature should not go over 75ËF (24Â°C), for longer than brief spans of time. At 75Â°F, wine begins to oxidize.
The ideal storage temperature for all wines is the same, 55 degrees F. But the storage temperature isnât the same as the serving temperature. The storage temperature is meant to help keep wines from prematurely aging, but 55 degrees is probably a little too cold to serve red wines, and a bit too warm for whites. So just keep in mind that you might need to pull your reds before serving them, and the whites might need to be further iced down.