Building a Dream Wine Cellar?

Regardless of whether you are a collector, connoisseur or just an avid fan of wine, having a wine cellar is a considerable investment to your home. It will add value to the resale price as well as having a place to store and enjoy your wine. When considering adding a wine cellar to your home, there are several factors to consider. Everything from the obvious, like wine racks, tasting areas, tables, and even flooring. We cover everything you need to help plan the perfect wine cellar.

When you decide it is time to add a wine cellar to your home, you need to begin by dedicating a space.  Are you going to build it yourself or hire a contractor? Your time and budget will need to be established long before you begin planning the finishing touches.

Some wine cellars are there to hold the wine bottles until they are needed. Others are elaborate rooms with seating and tables for tasting the wine.

Depending on your wine collection size, or projected wine collection size, you may need more space than you have. In these instances, you will have to consider a potential dedicated space for an addition to make room.

If you are only using the wine cellar as a storage, you need to ensure there is enough room to maneuver in the space without having to worry about knocking over bottles. You should also consider a ladder for higher racks and easier access. As with any addition to your home, the costs are left up to your budget. The more you decorate and embellish, the more it is going to cost.

There are many speculations to how to store wine when it comes to temperature and climate. The best rule is to maintain a temperature between 55 – 65 degrees Fahrenheit, with as little fluctuate as possible for longterm storage.

The most common is to have the temperature hover around 55 degrees Fahrenheit with humidity around 70 percent. If you have trouble maintaining this temperature, you may need to invest in a climate-controlled wine cellar.

Storing your wine within the previously mentioned ranges of temperature and humidity will ensure you have decades worth of wine without causing the corks to dry or expand, or the wine to oxidize or go flat.

Once you have decided on the type of wine cellar and its location, the real fun in planning can begin. You will get to choose the features your wine cellar will entail and how to set everything up.

Without a doubt, the most important feature in a wine cellar are the wine racks. Decide how you want your bottles cork out, horizontal, standing up or laying down, slanted shelving or flat. Each of these need to be considered.

As we mentioned before, the flooring in a wine cellar is completely up to you, concrete, tile, wood plank or even carpet. In the end, your tastes and budget will dictate the flooring options you choose.

The floor you choose can accent the details of the room. For instance, wood flooring with wood wine racks and wood tone colors will make for a comfortable setting. Modern and rustic themes are also popular with wine cellars and look great with accompanying accents and lighting.

With a wine cellar, you really can let your imagination run wild. You can create your own little world down in the cellar if you choose or make it a part of the rest of your home with matching decorations and ties ins to the rest of the house.

The Modern theme for wine cellars, is easy to see. Using metal racks for clean appeal and sophistication.

Some special considerations to consider If you are setting up below ground, you need to ensure that the humidity doesn’t get too high. High humidity can cause labels to peel or the corks expand.

You also need to decide if you are a wine drinker, a wine collector or a combination of the two. If you are a drinker, then you have less to worry about. In a standard cellar at normal temperature ranges the wine will keep for a good decade. Long enough for you to open and consume the wine.

On the other hand, if you are a collector, you need to make sure your wine cellar will stand the test of time. Temperature and humidity should be the focus. Using a special wine cellar door to prevent unwanted temperature changes is vital.

You might spend a little more than you anticipated, but it will be worth it in the long run. We hope you find what you are looking for to create and design the wine cellar of your dreams.