For wine aficionados, there’s simply nothing better than having a well-designed wine cellar in the home. When it comes to putting a wine cellar together, however, many people are in the dark. The fact is, designing a wine cellar doesn’t have to be difficult. So long as you cover all of your bases, you can rest assured you’ll have the perfect bottle for any given occasion.
There are a variety of different ways to design the layout of your wine cellar. Ideally, the wines should be laid on their sides so as to prevent oxidation. As a result, many people choose to outfit their cellars with wooden wine racks that can accommodate multiple bottles of wine while making maximum use of the amount of space they take up. When determining layout, take into consideration just how expansive you’d like your cellar to be, as the more well-rounded your collection becomes, the more rack space you will need.
The most important characteristic of your wine cellar is, of course, the bottles that make it up. In general, one should strive to create as well-rounded a collection as possible, encompassing a wide variety of reds and whites from all throughout the world. On a more practical level, however, it is wise to stock your cellar with wines that you are apt to drink on a regular basis. Choose a varietal to focus on, while rounding out your collection with a small amount of bottles saved for special occasions.
Temperature is an important factor in the ability of your wines to age gracefully. While the setting does not necessarily need to be temperature-controlled, you should not store your wines in a room that is either too warm or too cold. Ideally, wines should be stored between 55 and 58 degrees.