If you thought having your own wine cellar at home was unobtainable and only for the wealthy, think again.
The truth is, it’s becoming more and more popular to stay at home and entertain with friends and family under your own roof. Whether you have a townhouse, spacious home, condominium, or even an apartment, spending time in your own surroundings is on trend.
In addition to congregating in a home’s most popular place — the kitchen — many homeowners are installing outdoor kitchens, firepits and even wine coolers and/or cellars.
Whether you prefer red or white wine, there’s no reason why you can’t grab a bottle of either if you have your own wine cooler/cellar.
Not just for a select few
Wine cellars/coolers are definitely not just for restaurants, hotels, or homes of the rich and famous. Today, it’s easy to have your own wine cellar/cooler — be it its own custom room or a portable unit. And of course, like a fine wine, no two wine coolers/cellars are the same.
You might be asking yourself why you would want a wine cooler/cellar in your home and the answer is easy: Wine is extremely delicate, and it requires a precise environment for it to age gracefully.
Wine is also a form of art for some, meaning art is meant to be seen, experienced and appreciated. A wine cooler/cellar lets you store the wine properly while at the same time, appreciate all it has to offer.
While a nice, cool closet will work in a pinch, a custom-built space is ideal for displaying a collection of rare vintages, corkscrews, large bottles and even wine-related artwork. And, you don’t need to spend a ton of money to create a sanctuary for wine.
Tips for your own wine cellar/cooler
Here are some helpful tips from various experts combined for proper wine storage to enhance your home’s entertainment offerings.
- You can store wine almost anywhere if the temperature is relatively constant, preferably between 55- to 60-degrees Fahrenheit and not above 75-degrees. Fluctuations in temperatures are harmful to wine.
- Use a cellar space under the house, or make sure you choose a space on the north side of your home — a closet will do — that is free of walking traffic or other vibrations. Wine ages better when kept still.
- Another storage option is a wine refrigerator built into a kitchen or placed in a corner of the garage. This is a great way to store as few as six bottles or as many as 600.
- Make sure the humidity levels stay at least 70 percent for long-term storage.
- Store wine on its side so that the cork does not dry out.
- Keep the wine out of direct sunlight. The darker the storage conditions, the better.
- Splitting a wine cellar into a red section and a white section, complete with insulated walls and individual cooling systems set for the ideal conditions of red and white wines, is preferred by serious collectors.
- Last, but not least, the best wine is one that is consumed with friends, not collected.
Now, invite some of those friends or family over for a glass or two paired with your favorite appetizers. Sit back, enjoy and relax all in the confines of your humble abode!
