Just picked up a case of your favorite Chehalem wine but not planning on drinking it right away? Do yourself a favor and follow these three easy tips to store your wine at home to enjoy later.

• Avoid Heat and Sunlight, Get creative on storage & Avoid extreme temperature adjustments

Basements are a great place to store and age wine. But, many homes in the Pacific Northwest do not have them, and unfortunately, crawl spaces are typically too cold and damp in the winter to store wine properly. For those without a basement, an interior closet or under a first-floor bed are the next best option. Since heat rises, store your wine as close to the floor as possible to prevent rapid temperature fluctuation.

Alternatively, homeowners that have never had a wine cellar or a good place to store their wine don’t need to start from scratch. Chehalem keeps an extensive collection, or library, of older vintages to enjoy now or later. Our 2011 Ridgecrest Vineyard and Reserve Pinot Noirs are great examples of perfectly aged wines that still have years of enjoyment ahead of them. Another great vintage to enjoy now, and over the next few years, is our 2013 Corral Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir. These lighter, more delicate expression of Pinot Noir are perfect for grilled Chinook salmon or mushroom risotto.

With well-cellared wines like these, there is no need to wait years for every bottle in your collection to reach its prime. We can help you choose wines for next week, the holidays, dinner parties, anniversaries, birthdays, and every other occasion.

For more tips on storing wine, read Redfin’s February article “Tips for Storing Wine at Home Without a Wine Cellar”

Born and educated in the maize plains of Illinois and Iowa, Dave found his calling in the mid-80s when he met several Oregon winemaking pioneers on a sales swing through Austin, Texas. Soon after, he relocated to Oregon with his young family. He worked as National Sales Manager for a local winery before embarking on a detour through the world of human capital management, software, and professional services sales. Proving you can go home again, he came to Chehalem in 2008, eventually landing in his current role as Director of Hospitality. When he’s not in the tasting room in Newberg, Dave is spending time with his wife Ann, and their grown sons, Andrew and Jordan. He can also be found tending his vegetables; depleting and replenishing his wine cellar; exploring Oregon’s majesty; watching the Portland Timbers or Trail Blazers, and hanging out with his dog, Serena.