If you love wine and find yourself increasingly wanting to save a few bottles to age, you are probably already considering building a wine cellar. Building a wine cellar makes an excellent basement renovation project, as it is usually easier to create a dark space in the basement — and wine is best stored in the dark.

Building a wine cellar does require a certain amount of knowledge, as the space will need to have to be suitable for both storage and conservation of wine. That means room must have good ventilation and a stable temperature. Too much moisture and there is potential for rot and mold. Too little moisture dries out the cork and can cause oxidization of the wine. Temperature fluctuations can change the aging process dramatically as well. A consistently cool temperature is ideal for aging the wine slowly.

Because of the need to maintain a stable temperature and humidity level in the wine cellar, it is best if you can build a separate space with a solid door and insulated walls. If your basement is already an ideal environment for storing wine you’re pretty much set to go. Although you also have to consider how much vibration the wine cellar will be subject to, as that may also have an adverse affect on wine. It’s best to avoid areas such as under the stairs or near the furnace as there may be vibrations.

If your basement is already an ideal environment for racking wine then you’re pretty much all set to go. But if your basement doesn’t have a consistent temperature or humidity level you may need to call in an experienced remodeling contractor as the building process may involve installing any, or all, of the following: insulation, carpentry, lighting, electrical work and design.

A great way to keep tabs on the temperature and humidity in the wine cellar is with a digital gauge, such as those available from www.wineenthusiast.com . With its compact size and an easy-to-read digital display, this little gadget is a great tool for any size cellar.

Your options for furnishing the wine cellar are to either have a wine storing area custom built or to purchase ready-to-install units. Ready-built units are a great solution for the average wine enthusiast. Options include kits, such as those offered by Organize-It, which offers Redwood wine cellar racking units, or Wine Cellar Innovations, which offers both custom designs and wide variety of wine cellar components, including their “designer series” which look as though they were custom-built.

Redwood is one of the top choices for racking wine as it is odor-free, resists mold, mildew, rotting and splitting, and is strong and durable enough to withstand the weight of the bottles.

Most wine racks, whether custom-built or a ready-made unit, are designed so that you can add more components as your wine collection grows. Now all you have to do is start filling the racks.

Cheers!

Sources:
Wine Cellar Innovations
4575 Eastern Ave.
Cincinnati , OH 45226
Phone: 1-800-229-9813 or (513) 321-3733
Email: info@winecellarinnovations.com
Website: www.winecellarinnovations.com

Organize-It
2079 25 Mile Rd.
Shelby Twp. , MI 48316
Phone: 1-800-210-7712 or (248) 656-3350
Website: www.organizes-it.com