Purchasing the Perfect Wine Cellar

Navigation

You are here: Free Article Directory » Food » Wine » Purchasing the Perfect Wine Cellar

by: KCKudra | Total views: 5 | Word Count: 748 | View PDF | Print View
Share This Article

When it comes to wine cellars, the term often conjures up visions of a luxury mansion of great luxury and grandeur. After or most wine cellars reside in some of the finest villas in Europe, and are very extensive. Some of the finer restaurants can brag about their elaborate wine cellars and the processes that they go through to keep their expensive wines in tip-top condition.

All of this focus on wine cellars can leave the average person a bit uncertain about what a wine cellar is for, and, more importantly, whether his or her love of wine is sophisticated enough to actually purchase or build a wine cellar at home.

First of all, what is not usually said about wine cellars is that you do not need a lot of fancy storage systems or combination wine cellar humidor in order to keep your wines in top-notch shape. Most wine lovers focus on carefully selected bottles and keep them in small quantities to drink on a regular basis. For this to sort of wine lover, an at-home wine cellar may be unnecessary.

There is, however, the wine lover who stocks many different kinds of wine and is considered a collector of fine wines. For this person, there may be a need of a dedicated wine cellar in which to keep their collection. The wine cellar designs can still be located within the home in a place that is convenient.

You are talking how large the wine cellars going to be and how many bottles of wine when it comes to some wine collectors. The number of bottles it can hold is directly related to the amount of space that is available for your wine cellar in your home.

Vibration, light, temperature, and humidity all need to be controlled in order to keep your wine at its best possible level of quality. For instance, if you get too much sunlight or fluorescent light, it can damage the wine. Because of this, most wine cellars are located in a darkened, storage space.

Vibration is another enemy of wine: too much vibration will disrupt the sediments in wine, causing it to change color or taste. The more delicate the wine, the more susceptible it will be to vibration and light.

Humidity is another factor that can have serious implications on wines. If you have too much humidity, it can cause the wind to mold; if you have too little humidity, it can cause the corks to shrink leading to spillage and spoilage. Humidity optimally should be around 70%.

Temperature is the last important consideration. Having improper temperatures will decrease the flavor of the wine, and if the temperature is to low, it can cause the wine to freeze.

One of the easiest ways to create a wine cellar in your home is if you purchase a self-contained wine cellar unit. These units can range in size from 2' x 3' to 10' by 12' or more. If you consider having a very large wine cellar in your home, it may be less expensive to have a custom wine cellar built for you.

Wine cellars range in size (some hold as few as 24 bottles, all the way up to 2500 bottles) and the prices rise to match. Prices for small models may begin at about $500, and rise up to $4000 for the larger ones.

You will also find that wine cellars come in a variety of exteriors, ranging from super sleek stainless steel to rustic oak or pine. Additions such as interior lights, locking doors, glass panels, and the like will typically add to the price.

When deciding to purchase a wine cellar, you should first determine a few things.

- Number or bottles that should like to store.

- Space available for your wine cellar.

-What kind of features and controls do you need in terms of lighting, temperature, humidity, and vibration? If you're planning to collect expensive, delicate or special care wines, you will need to take into account extra features for your wine cellar.

- Whether the wine cellar will be tucked away in a room or placed out in the open. If it is the latter, you may want to invest in a higher end finish so that it matches the rest of your house.

In the end, your purchase should be the best balance of features, price, and space. If you know what your wine tastes are prior to purchasing the wine cellar, you will get the best one that meets your current wants and needs with a little room to expand.
Share This Article