You can turn any room into a wine cellar, even with a limited budget. It can be a space with a personalized design or a little wine cooler. You can create a wine storage according to your personal taste, just by following a few rules.
Wine is such a popular drink that some people store a few bottles in order to celebrate special occasions or just to turn a simple occasion into something special. But how should wine be stored to mature correctly? Well, using a wine cellar. It must follow some important rules to obtain the best result: keep the temperature stable and cool, maintain proper humidity and away from intense light.
Basic rules and recommended spaces
You can build it anywhere but you’ll need some conditions to keep your wine collection protected from light, heat and vibrations. That’s why it’s often recommended to build your wine cellar in a basement. Because it’s fresh and dark, it’s the ideal place. If you don’t have a basement, you can use any other space that guarantees those conditions, even a closet, for example. There are options for all budgets. It’s also important to consider that the ideal temperature to store the wines should be around 13º C. A cool space allows the wine to develop slower and in a more interesting way. You may place the bottles on stacked cinder blocks, old furniture, or proper shelves. Once again, it depends on how much you’d like to spend.
Care instructions
After creating your wine cellar, keep in mind the main issues related to humidity and temperature.
The humidity will help to keep corks from drying out. A dry cork won’t protect the wine from the oxygen, which may spoil the wine. However, too much humidity may encourage the growth of fungus and mould, damaging the wine quality. So it’s important to keep a stable and balanced humidity.
The main issue of any wine cellar is the temperature fluctuation. For this reason, and in order to maintain the ideal temperature, it’s recommended to use a cooling system. Heat accelerates maturation, letting oxygen in and causing the evaporation of components, which will result in a different taste. If this kind of system is not an option for you due to your budget, you can choose any other equipment with the same effect.
If you choose to build your wine cellar in a room, it’s important to have a well-insulated door. This can avoid temperature fluctuations for example.
Tips and tricks
Remember that not every wine needs to be stored in the cellar. Some of them should be consumed fresh, and some people prefer young wines.
It’s possible to follow and categorize the wines from your collection with the help of many websites. This will help you to know what’s in stock, or what you need to buy again and what to add to your collection.
It’s also important to know how to place the bottles. Some people say they should be upright, but the best way to place them is lying down, which allows the contact between the wine and the cork. Otherwise, the cork would dry out, once again, letting the oxygen in.
It’s also important to know how to place the bottles. Some people say they should be upright, but the best way to place them is lying down, which allows the contact between the wine and the cork. Otherwise, the cork would dry out, once again, letting the oxygen in.
Something more than a wine cellar
A wine cellar can be not only a place for wine storage but also a place for fun and entertainment. You can create it to do wine tastings with friends, showing your private collection. This way, you’ll have a place for storage but also a place to enjoy.
