The vast majority of wine that you’ll find at your neighborhood grocery is not age-worthy. Vintners intentionally craft most wines so they taste their best shortly after their release. Wine expert Kevin Zraly claims “less than 1 percent of the world’s wines are meant to be aged for more than 5 years.”

So drink up, sailor!

But if you are starting to accumulate a few bottles at home and you don’t have a climate-controlled, underground cellar, a few tips on storage:

• Lay it on its side (or even upside down).   Do not store the bottle standing up. The cork will dry out and shrink, allowing that nasty Mr. Oxygen to creep in and spoil the party.
• Ideal storage temperature: 55 degrees. That’s considerably less than normal room temperature so find a cool spot. Generally speaking, excessive cold is better than excessive heat.
• Consistency counts. You don’t like dramatic temperature swings in your house. Neither does your wine.
• Keep it in the dark.   Sunlight is the enemy. Ultraviolet light can cause rapid oxidation
• Minimize vibration. These days, there’s a lot of imbalance we can’t control. Finally, here’s imbalance that we CAN control.  When it comes to your wine, keep it in a spot where it won’t get rocked and rolled.  When it comes to your personal mind space, don’t get sucked into politically-charged discussions on social media.  Rather, kick back and have a glass from that well cared-for bottle. Both you and your wine will stay in better balance.

Lastly, regarding proper transit of your wine, don’t leave it in the backseat of your car for a few hours on a hot summer day! You wouldn’t leave your dog back there. Don’t leave your Silver Oak back there either. BTW, let me know when you’re opening that Silver Oak. I’ll be right over.