Preparing for a Home Wine Cellar

Whether you are a wine enthusiast, an amateur sommelier, or a spirited home entertainer, a wine cellar makes an excellent addition to any home. However, this fun project is a significant undertaking and not one to be taken lightly. When preparing for your home wine cellar there are several factors to keep in mind, including: Finding The Sweet Spot: The most important element of a wine cellar is the room’s climate. The ideal wine cellar should be between 55 – 58° F and between 55 – 75% humidity. With this in mind, your room will need a cooling system for temperature control. A water source within your cellar will help to increase the room’s humidity. Location, Location, Location: Basements naturally lend themselves to the necessary humidity and temperature conditions mentioned above. Within the basement, small rooms, unused closets, storage areas or guest rooms can make ideal wine cellars when creatively converted. Regardless of the locale of the room that you choose, you will want to pick a room free of direct sunlight, excessive heat, or frequent vibrations. Cellar Door: In order to maintain the separation of environments between the wine cellar and the rest of your house, special care should be taken when choosing your wine cellar door. To provide the proper containment, the door should be exterior grade and provide both insulation and weather stripping. Ideally your wine cellar’s door will swing into the wine cellar to ensure that the positive pressure in the room will push against the door and create a superior seal. Wine Storage And Display: Today’s wine comes in a variety of bottle shapes and styles. Each of these elements, as well as bottle size must be taken into consideration when building and installing wine racks. Wine should be stored on its side in order to keep the cork moist and enough room should be allowed around each bottle to allow the air to circulate. When choosing a rack material, wood is the most popular option. However, be sure to select a type that is resistant to rot in a damp environment such as redwood or mahogany. All in all, a wine cellar can be an exciting but large undertaking. Contact Homecare Inc. today to bring your wine tasting experience into your home! And stay tuned week when we will discuss the ultimate beverage storage option for beer drinkers – the in-home bar!