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.
A general rule: white wines should be served chilled and red wines at room temperature. However, abiding by this simple rule will probably mean youâll never really enjoy your wine at its best. Nothing spoils a wine more than serving it at the wrong temperature. On the one hand, a Chardonnay served at 5Â° instead of 11Â°-12Â° will be stripped of all its enchanting aromas and flavours, and on the other hand, serving red wines at room temperature in Australia (24Â°-25Â°) is, well, a very common mistakeâ¦.