Storing wine in garage space is a gamble in most places, because a garage follows the weather: hot in summer, cold in winter, with swings between day and night. Wine wants cool and steady. A garage can hold everyday bottles for a few weeks, or longer if it is insulated and conditioned, but for wine you plan to age, an indoor rack or a properly rated wine fridge is safer. Here are the limits from Purdue Extension, Wine Spectator and the manuals for wine fridges we sell.
Can you store wine in the garage? What the limits say
Purdue Extension’s Wine Storage Guidelines (FS-58-W) calls elevated temperatures and temperature swings “the greatest storage hazards for wine.” Its table of heat and cold exposure is the clearest yardstick for a garage:
| Storage time | Heat exposure (Purdue table) | Cold exposure (Purdue table) |
|---|---|---|
| Long-term storage | 50 to 60 F | 50 to 60 F |
| 1 to 4 weeks | 75 F or below | 50 F or below |
| Spikes of 30 minutes or less | 85 F or below | 32 F or below |
| Never | 86 F or above | 23 F or below |
Purdue adds that wines of 14% alcohol or less start to freeze below 23 F, that swings “test the integrity and position of the bottle closure, especially corks,” and that moving bottles from very cold storage into a warm room causes condensation that can lead to mold.
Wine Spectator’s Dr. Vinny answered this exact question in “Will my wines get too cold in the garage?”: cold wine is “less likely to suffer than hot wine,” wine “can freeze at 15° to 20° F,” and in summer “wine starts to age prematurely at temperatures above 70° F, and above 80° F you start to risk heat damage.”
The full rules on temperature, humidity and light are in our wine storage temperature guide.
How hot is too hot for wine in a garage?
Wine Spectator’s “The Hottest Topic in Wine Cellars” says “anything above 70° F for a sustained period is cause for concern if your wines are in the garage,” and that a garage can be fine year-round in cool cities such as San Francisco or Seattle but not in Napa. Put together:
- Sustained above 70 F: cause for concern (Wine Spectator).
- Above 75 F for 1 to 4 weeks: outside Purdue’s limit.
- 86 F or higher, even briefly: Purdue says never.
Dr. Vinny also notes that air temperature does not necessarily reflect the temperature of the wine in the bottle, so measure where the bottles actually sit.
Storing wine in garage space: short-term vs long-term
Short-term: a few weeks of everyday bottles
If your garage stays under 75 F and above freezing, Purdue’s limits allow everyday wine you will open within a month. Keep it away from the water heater, the big door and any wall that takes afternoon sun, and move it before a hot spell or hard freeze.
Long-term: anything you want to age
Purdue’s long-term band is 50 to 60 F, and its guidance for ageable wine is a temperature held within about plus or minus 2 to 3 F. An unconditioned garage rarely manages that across a year, so bottles you are saving belong indoors or in a fridge rated for the space.
Garage wine storage in an insulated or conditioned garage
Dr. Vinny suggests insulating the garage, “which will mediate those highs and lows.” Before you trust one, put a min/max thermometer where the bottles will sit and read it through a summer and a winter. If it stays inside Purdue’s long-term band, a garage rack can work. If not, use a fridge rated for those temperatures or a spot inside the house.
Wine fridge in garage: check the ambient range first
A wine fridge does not fix a bad garage on its own. Every unit has an ambient (room) temperature range, and many are indoor only. What the manuals say:
| Model | Manual says | Garage verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Marvel 24 inch Essential MRWC224 ($1,699 with us) | Recommended install location 55 to 100 F; damage at 40 F or below not covered by warranty. Spec sheet: “Built for both indoor & outdoor use.” | Possible if the garage stays between 55 and 100 F |
| Marvel 24 inch Essential Dual Zone MRWD224 ($1,899 with us) | Same 55 to 100 F install range and 40 F warranty caution in its guide | Same as above |
| Empava 24 inch 52 bottle WC03S ($1,096.19) | Ambient below 10 C or above 32 C (about 50 to 90 F, our math) “will hinder the performance”; do not install in rooms with poor air circulation “(e.g. garage)” | Not for a garage |
| Empava 55 inch Dual Zone WC06D ($1,847.67) | Same Empava manual (covers WC01S to WC08D) | Not for a garage |
Other brands vary. U-Line’s user guide for its HWC024 says it “is designed to operate between 50°F (10°C) and 100°F (38°C).” Vinotemp’s EL-WCU113-03 manual asks for “temperatures above 60 °F and below 90 °F” and calls the unit “indoor use only.” Read the range before you buy and compare it with your thermometer readings. Sources: Marvel MRWC224 guide, MRWC224 spec sheet, Empava manual, Vinotemp EL-WCU113-03 manual.
On price: Marvel’s site lists $1,869 (MRWC224) and $2,089 (MRWD224) as of this writing; the Empava prices match Empava’s own store. For clearances and outlets, see wine fridge installation.
Better spots in the house for a wine rack
If the garage fails the thermometer test, look for the coolest, darkest interior space you have:
- Basement: see best wine rack for basement storage.
- Closet: an interior closet away from exterior walls; see closet wine cellar.
- Under the stairs: see under stairs wine rack.
VintageView wall racks are a simple start:
- VintageView W Series Wine Rack 3: 36 inches tall, 9, 18 or 27 bottles depending on depth. From $123 with us in matte black; VintageView’s site lists $127 to $198 with different finish names, so check the finish you want.
- VintageView W Series Wine Rack 4: 48 inches tall, 12, 24 or 36 bottles. From $154 with us; VintageView lists $158 to $225.
- VintageView Evolution Wine Wall 30 1C: 30 inches tall, 6 bottles high. $208, $284 or $437 in matte black for single, double or triple deep, the same prices VintageView lists.
More sizes are on our VintageView brand page. If you are deciding between the two approaches, read wine rack vs wine fridge and our wine rack and cellar storage guide.
What to store in a garage, if anything
Keep it to wine you will drink soon: everyday bottles or party overflow you will open within a few weeks. Keep anything you are aging, anything expensive and sparkling wine indoors; Purdue notes that heat raises the pressure in sparkling wine bottles and that bursting has been reported after heat exposure.
Orders of $999 or more ship free by freight ($200 flat below that); see our return and refund policy. Questions about a specific fridge’s ambient range? Call 866-777-2590, Monday to Friday, 9AM to 6PM PST.
Frequently asked questions
Can you store wine in the garage in winter?
Cold is less harmful than heat, but Purdue says 32 F or below for as little as an hour can cause tartrate crystals, and wines of 14% alcohol or less start to freeze below 23 F. Wine Spectator puts freezing at 15 to 20 F. If your garage gets that cold, move the wine.
Can a wine fridge go in the garage?
Only if the garage stays inside the fridge’s ambient range. Marvel’s MRWC224 guide recommends 55 to 100 F; Empava’s manual names the garage as a place to avoid.
How hot is too hot for wine?
Wine Spectator flags sustained temperatures above 70 F and heat damage risk above 80 F. Purdue says wine should never see 86 F or above, even briefly.
Is an insulated garage good enough for wine storage?
It can be, if a min/max thermometer shows it holding near 50 to 60 F through summer and winter.
