Designing, building and creating a wine cellar will result in years of satisfaction. Though there are a few things to consider before opening the first celebratory bottle. Wine cellars come in any size, shape and capacity that you can imagine. However a wine cellar that will add value to your wine collection and your home is a carefully designed room. There are some essential factors that need to be integrated into good cellar design.
The factors that have the most direct impact on a wine’s condition are temperature, light, humidity and vibration. The control or minimisation of these factors will ensure that your precious wine is maintained in its best condition and provide the right environment of the wine to improve with age.
An insulated and temperature controlled cellar is the ideal environment in which to store your wine, however if circumstances prohibited a climate controlled cellar then the maintenance of a stable temperature must be a priority in a cellar. Temperature fluctuations will cause more damage to the integrity and maturity of wine than a temperature over the ideal.
The light conditions in a wine cellar will also have a direct and significant effect on the condition of stored wine. Both Red and White Wine are sensitive to UV light from the sun, consequently wines should never be stored in direct sunlight. LED lighting and the usage of non direct lights are recommended for wine cellars, overhead halogen lights generate heat and natural light will affect wine due to the UV.
The issue of humidity in cellars is mitigated by the wine industry adoption of screwcap lids. These lids prevent the deterioration, mould and drying of corkes that was an issue in moist or very dry cellar spaces. The humidity in cities such as Melbourne or Sydney is relatively stable and while wines should be kept within a range of 50-70% humidity the variation within these cities will not have a significant effect. High humidity in cities such as Brisbane and Darwin can have an adverse effect on corks and also lead to the deterioration of wine labels.
Vibrations within wine cellars should be avoided as it mixes the wine within the bottle and adversely affects the delicate process of maturation. Items such as wine fridges should be avoided within cellars due to the heat and vibrations that the motors create. Wine cellar conditioning systems should either be of the highest quality or be high quality and be ducted into the cellar space.
Wine Cellar Racking and Storage Systems are an integral component to a quality Wine cellar. Red Cedar wine racking is regarded for its beautiful appearance, its natural anti microbial properties and soft aroma. Steel and Aluminium wine pegs can give a modern and contemporary feel to a wine cellar. The essential ingredient to selecting the right wine cellar racking is to select a quality product to showcase both your cellar space and wine collection.
A well organised wine cellar will be both a showpiece and asset when enjoying your wine collection. Library ladders and rolling ladders can facilitate access to high wine storage while box bins can be a great way to store wine that are designated for longer cellaring. A considered wine Cellar design will allow for both the organisation and access to all of your favourite bottles of wine.