Putting in a personal wine cellar can help keep your prized collection of wine protected. For wine to age properly and to mature the intricate layers of taste intended, wine needs to be kept in a cellar away from the low humidity, temperature variations and imperfect storage the bulk of the average home experiences.

Small-scale or on a big scale, a wine cellar should incorporate the following elements:

• proper insulation
• racks to protect and display the bottles
• good temperature controls
• proper lighting levels

Your wine cellar can be an expression of your taste - perhaps you have a preference for practicality, and as much storage in a small space as possible. Alternately, you may want a show piece where you can entertain friends and sample wines in luxurious comfort. Have your needs in mind when you design your cellar.

Also be aware that a wine cellar doesn't have to be reserved for a country estate, as people from all walks of life who enjoy a fine bottle of wine build or have wine cellars installed.

Embark on the design process with an understanding of how you view your wine collection. Some bottles resemble art pieces, so you may want to display them prominently. Sometimes you may desire to showcase a rare vintage, or perhaps decorate your space with wine-related arts or crafts that bring ambience to the area.

A variety of storage designs sympathetically combined will give your wine cellar the most versatility. You can buy modular storage systems that assemble in a customized fashion, or you can have a carpenter create the storage (this can be the more expensive option).

Simple storage racks (in wood or metal) will make sure that the wine remains efficiently ventilated and separated. You may also want an area reserved for wine accessories, like glasses, corkscrews, bottle openers and wine chillers or buckets.  Your wine cellar can also have purely decorative elements such as handcrafted doors or mood lighting.

Red wines benefit most from being stored in a cellar, particularly varieties that acquire their best quality from long-term storage. A lot of people imagine that cellars need to be located in the basement or else beneath the house, but they can actually be set up in any part of the house as long as the temperature and humidity levels can be properly controlled. Make your wine cellar a genuine tribute to your passion for wine.

If you want to discover more about wine cellars, head over to http://www.infoaboutwine.com

Tagged with: • • •

Filed under: Sterling Silver Goblets

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!