What Order Do You Stack Wine in a Wine Rack?


We have all had those puzzling moments where we are staring at our wine collection, trying to figure out where we put that delicious bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.

We have all had those puzzling moments where we are staring at our wine collection, trying to figure out where we put that delicious bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. If only we had organized our cellar a little more carefully, we wouldn’t have to pull out each bottle to find what we needed. Luckily, there are some easy ways to organize your wine cellar and keep track of what should be opened soon. Here are some tips to help you organize your cellar or wine rack.


  • 1. Divide the wine rack by type. You can create one row or area for red wines and another for white or sparkling.
  • 2. Organize further by grouping varietals; one row or area for Rieslings, one for Merlots, etc.
  • 3. Additional suggested categories for organization: the date the wine should be uncorked, price, region, or producer.
  • 4. Use tags or labels (pictured above) on the bottles' neck to make it easier to locate a wine without having to disturb or move bottles. Too much movement can kick up sediment inside the bottle and negatively affect its taste.
  • 5. Go digital with your organization. Invest in a cellar inventory app that syncs with your smartphone, so you know exactly what you need when buying wine. Inventory apps track every bottle in your cellar and can keep track of when each bottle should be uncorked as well as tasting notes. Some inventory systems include the use of barcodes to organize and track a cellar’s contents.
  • 6. Use Excel. If cellar inventory apps are too high tech for you, you can also use software such as Excel to create your own simple digital inventory system that maps out exactly what is stored on your wine racks. Give each row/cubicle of your wine rack or cellar a letter or number and input each bottle's location in Excel.

The order in which you load wine into your wine rack should be based on your preference. As your collection grows, experiment with different organization methods to find one that works best for you. As long as you store your wine in the proper environment, it should taste delicious no matter how it is organized.