He owned an elaborate refrigeration unit. He as a scientist knew certain mathematical formulas that relate to the time in which a food product will spoil as a function of temperature. He said that colder temperatures slow spoilage and that the maturation of wine was only simple chemical reactions that slowed down with increasing cold. This makes the wine taste mature sooner, but shortens its lifespan. Humidity is another storage factor.
Light begins to break down wines as well.
There is actually some slight breathing through the cork and a gentle air circulation is present in the most ideal cellaring situations. Ideally, then, store wine in a cool, dark place with reasonable humidity and some air circulation. The temperature can vary over time as long as the change is slow. Artist-winemakers and poets have said for years that wine is actually something rather mysterious. Maybe it can contain a deep essence of the winemaker, or of the vintage, or of the vineyard itself.