My OperaDirect wines Wine Cellar Basics And Conditions
Monday, August 23, 2010 3:54:37 AM
Maybe you have quite a collection of wine and decide to build a wine cellar, or perhaps you moved into a home that has an old wine cellar and you want to begin using it. The idea of a wine cellar is not just a place to store your wine, but storing it so that it is in an ideal environment to age to its perfection.
If you are going to build a wine cellar, first you have to determine the location and how large it will be. The size will be dictated by the amount of wine you will store in it. For example, if you have a wine collection of 50 bottles, it won't have to be as large as if you had several hundred bottles.
To create the ideal environment for storing your wine collection, your wine cellar should have a steady temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity level of approximately 65 percent. This provides ideal conditions for storing wine long term. If you keep the temperature at this cooler level, the aging process slows down, which is exactly what you want if you will be storing wine for a long period of time. The recommended humidity level will prevent moisture from getting in the bottles.
Northern areas of the country are ideal naturally for wine cellars because they tend to be cooler with the right amount of humidity. If you live in a dryer or warmer climate, you will have to add the conditioning to create the right wine-storing environment.
There are wine cooling systems, which allow you to create the perfect climate condition in your wine cellar. Therefore, even if you live in a dry and hot climate, you can still have a successful wine cellar.
There are a few things to remember when building your wine cellar. The framing for the walls should be 2"x6" and the ceiling frame of 2"x8" construction. Both the ceiling and the walls will need a polyethylene vapor barrier added to them. The sheathing can be drywall, but it has to be moisture resistant. The flooring will also have to be moisture resistant, so choose hardwoods or stone.
It is important if you are constructing your own wine cellar to make sure you have the correct construction, otherwise your wine stored will may age too quickly or there could be too much moisture in the room.
If the house you live in already has a wine cellar in the basement, you are lucky indeed. You will want to purchase a wall thermometer that will check both the humidity and temperature. If the home has a very old wine cellar, you are in for a real treat. You will be able to add your wine, wondering how many other bottles of fine wine have graced those shelves through the years.
Finally, a wine cellar is a fun way to store your precious bottles of wine and allow them to age with perfection. It gives you room to store future bottles of wine and add to your collection through the years.
Penned by Robin Saunders, an experienced writer that tackles various topics such as alcohol, breath alcohol, DUI etc. The author uses an alcohol tester himself and it's simply wise to own one too.Direct Wines: WSJ Wine Club
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