Building a Wine Cellar for your Home

As the number of wine enthusiasts continues to grow, more people are looking for more ways to enjoy wine. Some collect fine wines as an investment and others just enjoy trying new things. Still others just like having a few good bottles on hand to serve with meals or on special occasions. Whatever the reasons for buying wine, proper storage is crucial to keep it drinkable. Wine cellars or cooling cabinets preserve the right temperature, humidity, and amount of light, and remain vibration free. These environmental conditions are important whether you're storing a few bottles or hundreds.

Your wine stock requires such care because it's actually a food product and subject to spoiling. Maintaining the correct temperature and humidity preserves the wine and keeps it optimal for drinking. Even if you have an existing space that will accommodate your wine bottles, in most cases you still need a cooling unit to store your wine in the ideal conditions. Temperatures between about 55° and 65° and humidity levels that are above 40% and less than 80% are ideal for all types of wine.

The Right Cellar for You

If you choose to build a wine cellar, first you need to decide how large you expect your collection to be. For example, you may only need a small countertop or built-in wine cooler in your kitchen or bar. A larger, but not huge, inventory may fit in a closet or a wardrobe-sized wine cooler. If wine is your passion and you want a large wine cellar, then you'll need a room or basement to store your bottles.

Wine bottles must be stored on their sides in order for the corks to stay moist. That means you need a racking system to accommodate your bottles correctly. Just standing a bottle in the refrigerator, even if it's inexpensive, is not a good idea.

You'll find numerous wine cellars of all types and sizes online. You can research materials for racks and cabinets, find styles that fit with your decor, and learn about various cooling units as well as kits for building your wine cellar. There are pre-made cellars and cabinets as well as companies that will work with you to custom design the perfect wine cellar for your needs. Prices also vary to such a degree that you should be able to choose a solution that matches your budget.