6 Things to Know Before Building the Perfect Wine Cellar in Your Home

What makes wines so special and expensive? First, wines are meticulously created through a long process. In fact, red wines that are in mint condition, which are aged 5-6 years, can fetch a good price in the market. Time can also enhance the flavor of wine, especially red wine.

The fact that it takes a long time to perfect a single bottle is more than enough reason why wine is expensive. With that said, if you’re an aspiring wine connoisseur of the finer things in life, you should always make it a point to store your wines properly. How do you do that? You build a proper wine cellar or storage in your own house.

Aside from keeping your bottles of precious wine safe, wine cellars can add to the overall aesthetics of your basement. Do note that the ideal wine cellar should always be in your basement (a bit more on this later). Here are some things you need to consider when you want to create a good storage place for your wines.

Treat a wine rack like you would a bed frame. Always make the right measurements before going to work on something. You wouldn’t want the size of your rack to be too small or too big. Spacing is also crucial as you’ll absolutely don’t want something moving near your wine rack. Stay clear from doors, pathways, and even windows.

Always place your wine rack in a corner where nothing can disturb your wines. There are lots of factors that can easily ruin your expensive wine bottles. One of those factors is vibration. Sound or vibration can violently shake the contents inside your wine bottle.

You may not notice the movements, but prolonged shaking can cause chemical reactions to happen inside your wine bottle. The kinetic energy from the shaking tends to decrease the tannins and acids, thus dulling the flavor of the wine.

Some may disagree that basements aren’t good places to build or place a wine cellar. They argue that basements can be difficult to ventilate. Contrary to that fact, basements are easy to work with. Basements seldom have people going in and out of them, which makes your wine bottles safer. Since you already have a defined space to work with.

Basements also offer protection from sunlight. Just like vibrations, direct exposure to sunlight can cause complex chemical reactions. Sunlight can create “wine faults.” Wine faults are undesirable characteristics of wines when they’re not stored properly.

Light-bodied wines often suffer more from sunlight. Because of that reason, Sokolin red wine and other wines come in tinted bottles that offer more protection from the sun.

If you want to add light to your basement, don’t add too much as it’ll have the same effect. You can mount fixtures on the ceiling at regular intervals. Also, make sure that your lights are angled facing down and not directly facing your bottles.

Although incandescent light bulbs are being phased out, some still use it for aesthetics. Opt for LED instead of incandescent light bulbs as they produce too much heat, which can damage the quality of your wines.

You don't need to be worried about your basement being difficult to ventilate. A floor fan and dehumidifier can help keep your basement ventilated. Ventilation is an essential factor to help keep the corks and wine labels on your wine bottles safe. Proper airflow inside your basement prevents foul odors from developing. It can also reduce the growth of mold.

The wine racks are what will hold your wine bottles. Most wine connoisseurs prefer using wood as the material for wine racks as steel can easily tear off the labels on bottles. The most common mistake that newbie wine collectors make is that they create racks that place the bottle vertically.

When you store wine horizontally, the sediments inside your wine fall to the sides of the bottle, preventing spoilage. The wine also avoids contact with air by keeping the cork moist. When building a wine rack, make sure you provide spaces that allow your wine bottles to be stored vertically.

Wines are expensive and should always be taken care of. Wines often symbolize power and elegance, thus making them perfect focal points for your house. Making the right measurements, adding lighting, providing ventilation, and selecting a safe and quiet place are just some of the things you need to consider before building your wine cellar.