Building Your Own Wine Cellar
Choosing a Location and Preparing the Space
When evaluating potential spaces for a wine cellar, there are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration. Wine cannot be stored in too hot or too cold locations, otherwise it will ruin the taste of the wine. Ideally, wine should be stored between 50 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit. The room should be around 50 to 80 percent humid. The room should also be dark as direct sunlight can also spoil the wine. Finally, the room should be well-ventilated and free from odors which can penetrate the wine. If the room has carpeting, it will need to be removed as carpets can get mold. Instead, tile or vinyl should be installed. A new door should also be installed, even if the room already has a door. It should be an exterior-style door and should have weather stripping attached on all sides of the door jamb to prevent air from escaping.
Controlling the Climate
When a location has been chosen for the cellar, the next step, before installing racks, is to tackle climate control in the wine cellar. This may not be a problem depending on where you live. But if you live in a drier climate, then you will need to invest in a wine cellar conditioner and climate control unit. Whisperkool is one popular unit. Vapor barriers are required for wine cooling units. Vapor barriers are 6mm plastic sheeting that is wrapped around the interior of the cellar. Once the vapor barrier has been installed, the cooling unit can be mounted in the room, high up, to avoid temperature variations.
Lighting
If necessary, proper lighting will need to be installed. For wine cellars, recessed ceiling can lights tend to be most popular. Usually they will be on a dimmer switch to control the brightness. Display rope lighting for racks and accent lights are also popular. However, because lighting can raise the temperature in the wine cellar, most should be put on a timer system to ensure that they won't be left on for long periods.
Storing the Wine
Once lighting and climate control have been installed, you are ready to install your wine racks. Popular types of wood for wine racks are all-heart redwood or mahogany, both of which are resistant to rot in a wine cellar's dark, damp environment. Wine racks usually come in either single slots or diamond racks (which allow the storage of six average-sized bottles). In addition, some storage should also be set aside for half-sized and magnum-sized bottles for the occasions when you might want to buy a larger or smaller bottle of wine. Once the racks are installed, the wine needs to be organized. How you wish to organize them will depend on your preference. Some people choose to organize by vintage while others choose to organize by region.
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