Storing wine glasses is a no-brainer, right? Just wash them, dry them and put them in the cupboard. But then, a guest complains to you about a funky smell in your wine glasses or a chip on the rim that you might have failed to notice and right before your eyes, your precious wine glasses turn from sparkly clean and perfect, to smelly, grimy and lacklustre.
How we clean and store wine glasses has a big impact on their shelf-life and presentability. A glass that is handled harshly or carelessly can break or lose its appeal more quickly. What most wine lovers don’t realise is that storing wine glasses doesn’t require you to have an elaborate setup, you just have to make some smart choices.
It starts with proper cleaning
One of the reasons why your glasses may develop a sharp and unpleasant smell over time is improper cleaning. Simply rinsing your glasses after use could leave behind wine residue that will stain your glasses and make them smelly. After using your wine glasses, always use unscented liquid dishwashing soap and a clean sponge to wash them. Make sure that the sponge used to clean your glasses hasn’t been used to scrub any other dirty utensils, as residual particles of food and dirt could leave scratches on your glasses.
Another common problem faced by wine lovers is glasses that have a stale water smell to them. This happens when you clean your wine glasses but put them back in the cabinet while they are still wet. The residual water not only gives them a musty smell but also leaves stains. To avoid this, wipe your clean glasses with a microfibre cloth and ensure that they are a hundred percent dry before you put them back in the cabinet.
Cool, dry and airy over hot moist and stuffy
Are you one of those who store their wine glasses in boxes permanently? You need to stop doing that because sometimes, storage boxes are treated with chemical compounds. These cardboardy or musty odours can get transferred to your glasses and can subdue the fruity aromas of your delicate and beautiful wine, not allowing you to experience the true pleasure of wine drinking.
The ideal place to store your wine glasses is an airy cabinet that protects your glassware from direct sunlight and heat. Also, while storing wine glasses, always keep some distance between them. This will allow proper air circulation and keep fungus or any other microbial growth on your wine glasses at bay.
When it comes to chipping, one of the most common mistakes is storing wine glasses on their rims. Remember, the rim is the most delicate part of the wine glass and it is really susceptible to quick chipping. So, instead of storing glasses on their rims, you must use their steady base.
Here’s an additional tip, make sure that the wine glasses kept in front are the only ones that you use. Keeping all wine glasses in circulation for regular use will ensure that each one of them gets cleaned from time to time. This will also slow down the wear and tear of your front-row glasses. Cheers!
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