The 6 Tenets to Storing your Wine

The 6 Tenets to Storing your Wine...there are many important things to think of when building a custom wine cellar. However, there are 6 basic principles you NEED to follow when building to ensure that it is done properly. 

Temperature 

The simple and most agreed-upon numbers are between 45 and 65. 55 degrees is often cited as close to perfect and the number you’ll hear the most often. However, just like anything, it’s not an exact science. If there is not a large change in temperature each day, your wine will be safe even if the ambient temperature is not at the golden 55 degrees. Consistency is one of the most important and basic principles for your wine storage. 

Humidity 

The ideal humidity for wine storage is 50% to 70%. A more wet environment will expedite any mold growth inside the wine. A drier environment may cause the cork to dry out which will allow air to leak in.

Light 

There’s a reason why most wine bottles are the color of dark green. Just like us, wine needs to be protected from daylight. A chemical reaction from overexposure can occur and is known in the industry as light-struck. This will prematurely age the wine; affecting its taste, aroma, color, and mouthfeel. 

Vibration 

Excessive vibration can cause issues with your wine. It not only can disturb the sediment settled in your bottle, but more complicated chemical reactions will occur involving the acids, increasing propanol, and raising isoamyl alcohol. This all affects the tastes. During your wine cellar design process you should be cognizant of where your wine cellar sits inside of your home such as a laundry room which will cause excessive vibration and disturb your wine. 

Maintaining consistency in temperature 

Fluctuating temperatures will cause the cork to expand and/or decrease allowing air to eventually seep in. The most important part of building your wine cellar is ensuring your room is properly insulated including incorporating dual pane glass to ensure that the cool air does not leak through any openings in your glass, proper insulation behind your drywall to ensure that you do not lose any air through the walls, and always applying the proper heat/low calculation to guarantee that the cooling unit you use will keep the temperature at the proper 55 degrees. Any constant fluctuations will alter the chemistry of your wine, therefore, changing its taste. 

Store the wine sideways 

Storing the wine sideways will ensure that the cork in your bottle always remains wet which will lower the chance of wine leaking into the bottles. This will cause your wine to age and completely destroy the cork after some time. Keep in mind that your wine also has the risk of being "corked" which means that the chemical TCA has come in contact with popular cleaning supplies such as bleach, so while you do want to keep your cellar looking beautiful and sparkly, ensure that the cork is protected to keep our wine from being tainted. 

The 6 tenants- seem simple enough however we always suggest consulting with the experts at California Custom Cellars. 

Contact us today to receive more information, and speak with one of our experienced staff members to assist you with your project.

-California Custom Cellars