Do you dream of going to your own private wine cellar to pick the perfect vintage for a special anniversary dinner? Do you want to learn more about wine and food pairings? Would you like to join a wine club and share the interest with neighbors or business associates? Even if you don’t have a family estate or an unlimited budget, you can realize some of your dreams in your own home, whether you remodel a part of your kitchen to install a built-in wine chiller, or earmark space in a new home to make a room-size wine cellar.
All you really need is a relatively cool, dark closet that you can outfit for wine storage. An unused corner of basement, a walk-in pantry or unneeded storage room can all serve equally well for storing bottles of red. White wines should be stored long-term in cooler surroundings, but since most white wines are consumed while they’re still relatively young, it won’t hurt their flavor to occupy the same quarters as the reds; simply chill the bottles in a wine bucket prior to serving.
The Romance of Wine
While the simplest and cheapest way to store a few bottles may be simply to purchase a small, second-hand refrigerator for the garage, you can also have some fun and demonstrate your budding “connoisseur ship” by installing your own version of a traditional wine cellar. Make it a showpiece in a den or game room by gracing it with glass doors or iron gates, add decorative touches, stock it with glasses and use it as a “tasting room.” Alternatively, make space for your private stock in a totally private space known only to you. Keep your collection behind lock and key if you must, or flaunt its existence. It’s up to you.
A home wine cellar on the cheap is entirely possible. Any odd space will do, behind the stairs, under the eaves, adjacent to a kitchen pantry, in a section of a large storage closet. Get creative as you look at your floor plan. Your wine cellar doesn’t even need a full size door. Some of the best wine storage rooms are sized for munchkins.
Despite the popularity of built-in wine racks in kitchen cabinets, some of the worst places to store wine, if you care about quality, are above or next to the refrigerator, in a busy center island, or anywhere near the range. Nor do you need the expensive, though impressive, glass-door wine chillers that are so popular in upscale homes.
Your wine room does not have to be finished; ideally, it would be dark and cool naturally, but if you can wire for a vent fan to keep air circulating, so much the better. If you live in an extremely hot or cold climate, add a portable air conditioner or heater. You don’t want those bottles to freeze or to be exposed to high temperatures. Both extremes affect wine quality.
4 Insider Tips for Wine Storage:
- Keep those bottles cool and quiet. Traditional wine caves in France and other famous wine-producing regions are underground, often carved out of the limestone of old quarries. The ambient temperature is constant, and the caves are often dark and moist, perfect also for growing mushrooms or storing vegetables. Wines are best stored at a temperature around 55 degrees, a bit cooler than the average American home. But most wines won’t be damaged if the temperature climbs higher, even up to about 69 or 70 degrees. Storing good red wine in a garage, however, where summer readings can top 90 degrees, is not advisable.
- Lay the bottles on their sides for long-term storage; you want to keep those corks moist. As a general rule, vintage red wine should be turned occasionally, but unless you plan to hold on to those bottles for decades, you probably don’t have to worry about that. And a little dust on the bottle won’t hurt what’s inside! Clay roofing tiles are perfectly sized to hold wine bottles securely. Simply stack them upside down and fill them with bottles. An alternative would be to build shelves honeycombed with inexpensive PVC piping cut to the proper size to hold bottles. All you have to do is build a secure frame to the size that meets your needs.
- Dark is good. Enclose a corner of the basement, make space in an interior closet, or build a small enclosure in the garage, and don’t worry about lighting up the space. If there’s a single ceiling bulb, so much the better — you won’t have to bring a flashlight to choose the proper bottle for dinner. Just don’t forget to turn the light out when you leave. If you purchase wine that comes in wooden cases, you can simply turn the cases on their sides and stack them two or three high. It’s a good way to show off a small collection, and lets you visually take stock of your supply. There are also inexpensive metal or wooden racks available that you can secure to a back wall. Shop online, haunt flea markets or antique stores to find bargains.
- Show it off. If you have your wine cellar installed in a closet in your den or game room, highlight it with an adjacent “tasting room.” Purchase a small “bar top” table from a restaurant supply company; add a couple of inexpensive stools, place a vintage French wine rack or server nearby. Enhance the decor with old-fashioned cork stoppers and corkscrews. Set out glasses, wine buckets, napkins, and rating cards for your guests. Serve a variety cheeses and some fruit, and have a party.
Wine is, after all, meant to be enjoyed!
2 Point Highlight
While the simplest and cheapest way to store a few bottles may be simply to purchase a small, second-hand refrigerator for the garage, you can also have some fun and demonstrate your budding “connoisseurship” by installing your own version of a traditional wine cellar.
