Most people keep their wine bottles organized and stacked on the kitchen counter with a few wines chilling in the refrigerator.
However, for the true wine enthusiast and collector, this is outrageous.
Wine requires proper storage and the kitchen cabinet simply won’t cut it.
So, if you are considering hoarding dozens or hundreds of vintages, then you need to build a proper home for your bottles. And when you do, the basement makes the perfect spot for a wine cellar.
So how do you convert your basement into a beautiful wine cellar filled with your favorite vintages?
Table of Contents
Climate Control
First thing first, wine hates the heat.
So, make sure that you have the proper cooler for your wine cellar.
If you have money to splurge, then you can purchase an HVAC system specifically made for wine cellars that keeps proper balance and consistency between humidity and temperature.
Proper Insulation
If HVAC is out of the question, then make sure that you have proper temperature with insulation. This one is dependent on your geographic location, so make sure to call an expert to assess the situation.
The most important thing for storing wine is to ensure a consistent temperature. So make sure whatever solution is right for your space minimizes any dramatic spikes or drops in temperature throughout the year.
Minimal Lights
Experts suggest that you go with incandescent light bulbs instead of fluorescent bulbs since they emit less UV rays. In addition, you can invest in dimmable light bulbs on standard line-voltage tracks.
And whatever you do, keep those bottles away from any sunlight.
Zero-Voc Paints
If you want to paint your basement walls and your wine racks, then you need to make sure that you use zero VOC paints and finishes in order to prevent the wine from being corrupted.
Stainless Steel
Preventing airborne contaminants is crucial with wine cellars. And stainless steel wine racks not only offer a modernistic look, they are also a material that will not off-gas. Plus, it is highly durable that it can last as long as your vintage bottles.
Pick The Right Wood
If you want the traditional look, then you can certainly pick wood for your wine rack. However, in order to avoid problems, make sure to choose wood that only has mineral oil finish such as cypress, walnut or mahogany.
Seal The Floors
Floors can be quite porous and anything with the exception of properly sealed concrete floors can be a problem. Make sure to apply penetrating sealer and coatings like epoxies after the concrete is fully cured.
On a tiled floor, you need to ensure that the sealant is compatible with the tile’s adhesive. Wood floors and rugs are not recommended for wine cellars.
Convenient Tracking System
If you have large collections, you might want to consider a more systematic way to mark wine racks with some techy wine room management software programs available.