Perhaps you moved into a house that includes an old wine cellar and you want to start using it or you want to build a wine cellar to house your existing wine collection. Remember though that a wine cellar is more than a place to store your fine wine, it is an environment that will allow your wine to age perfectly.
If you are going to build the wine cellar, the first thing you need to do is decide how large it will be and where it will be located. The factor that will determine the size of the wine cellar is the amount of wine you have. If you already own several hundred bottles of wine, you’re going to need more space than if you’re collection has around 50 bottles.
There should be a humidity level of about 65% and a steady temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit to create the condition that’s necessary for your wine to reach perfection. These conditions are ideal for the long term storage of wine. This cooler temperature slows the aging process, which is what you want if you’re storing wine long term. The recommended humidity level will prevent moisture from getting into the bottles.
Conditions in the northern regions of the country are naturally ideal for wine cellars because these regions tend to have cooler temperatures and the right amount of humidity. If the climate where you live is warm or dry, you will have to create the perfect environment for storing wine.
Fortunately, there are some excellent wine cooling systems that make it possible to create the perfect climate conditions in your wine cellar. You can have a successful wine cellar even if you live in a hot, dry part of the country.
If you are building your wine cellar, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, your wall framing should be 2″ x 6″ and the ceiling frame should be 2″ x 8″ with polyethylene vapor barrier added to the ceiling and walls. You can use drywall for the sheathing, but it needs to be moisture resistant. The flooring as well needs to be moisture resistant, so opt for stone or hardwoods.
It is important if you are constructing your own wine cellar to make sure you have the correct construction, otherwise your wine stored will may age too quickly or there could be too much moisture in the room.
You should consider yourself lucky if there’s a wine cellar already in your home. Before storing your wine, purchase a thermometer that mounts the wall to check the humidity and the temperature. Now, if the home you purchased has a very old cellar, you will be able to wonder how many bottles of fine wine have graced the shelves over the years as you are placing your own wine on the shelves.
A wine cellar is a great way to store your bottles of fine wine and let them slowly age to perfection. It also provides plenty of space to store all the future bottles that you will undoubtedly add to your collection.
Written by Robin Saunders, an accomplished writer that deals with various subjects including alcohol, breath alcohol, DUI etc. The author uses an alcohol tester himself, be safer and get yourself a tester.
