Wine bottles are suppose to lay flat to keep the cork damp and expanded so it can provide an air tight seal against the bottle neck. They say air is the no 1 enemy of wine because it can turn the wine into vinegar. That’s why the server should let the person who order the wine to sample and approve it before he or she will go ahead to serve it to the rest of the guests. The reason why wine stores always have them standing up on the shelves is because their turn over is usually fairly quick and easier for the customers to see the label. That’s what I’ve learned from the experts.😊It is particularly important for wine intended for long term storage.