If you’re a wine enthusiast, you know the thrill of going wine shopping when you’re travelling abroad. Looking for that special wine bottle in a small enoteca in Tuscany is a treasure hunt on its own. Having a few good bottles at hand to share with your friends is always a good idea. If you’re thinking about starting your own wine cellar at home, there are a few things you should be aware of. Nothing difficult. Just some good ol’ tips that’ll help you start this project with the right foot.
What to do to start your own wine collection.
Starting a wine cellar at home is a process that requires exploration, care and fun! You should enjoy going in search for new wines, checking the bottles regularly and opening that rare wine you’ve stored for aging to celebrate a special occasion. Start with these first steps to watch the value of your collection grow over time.
Do’s to keep in mind:
- FIND THE RIGHT PLACE
First, find the right room to store the wines. The location should be dark and cool such as a cellar, basement, crawl space or storage room. If you do not have such a space at home, buy a wine cellar that regulates temperature and humidity and keep it in the darkest place of the house.
- BUILD THE SCAFFOLDS
The easiest way to keep everything in order is building a shelving unit. You can use any material – cement, steel, plastic – but the best is wood, because it maintains constant humidity in the room.
- CHECK TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY
The first instrument you should buy when you start a wine collection is a good thermometer and a humidity meter. The temperature in the cellar must be kept constant between 10 and 15 degrees, while the humidity must remain around 80%. The wine cellar should be humid, but not too damp.
- KEEP A CELLAR DIARY
As you accumulate bottles, it is important to keep track of each one to always have a clear picture of your collection. Mark the vintages, the years of aging, comments about the tasting and all the useful information for your archive.
- ORGANIZE THE BOTTLES
Order the bottles so that you have the ones that need to be drunk first on hand. Place wines to be aged in the furthest places from view, so that you don’t fall into the temptation of tasting them before their time!
- KEEP THE BOTTLES IN THE RIGHT POSITION
Be careful when you move the bottles to avoid vibrations that could alter the wine. You should place them horizontally to keep the wine in constant contact with the cork to prevent oxidation. Sparkling wines should be placed in the bottom shelf, while wines stored for aging should have the neck slightly raised.
- ASK FOR ADVICE
Get advice from a wine consultant on which wines to buy now at a good price to age them and increase their value. You will have some special bottles to celebrate important occasions.
The most common mistakes to avoid if you want to start a wine cellar at home
The temptation of keeping your collection of wines in plain sight is strong, as well as the temptation of buying many bottles all together without thinking about their capacity of aging well. Here are some useful tips to avoid the most common mistakes when starting your own cellar at home.
Don’ts to keep in mind:
- HAVING A MESSY CELLAR
An untidy cellar prevents you from having in front of your eyes the bottles that should be drunk first. Keep order and check the state of preservation of the wines. In this way you will always have full control of your collection. - KEEP THE BOTTLES IN THE KITCHEN
Wine bottles should always be safe from daily temperature fluctuations and direct light. Even if they look good on your kitchen shelves, resist the temptation to show them and keep your wines away in the darkest and cooler room of the house. - KEEP THE BOTTLES CLOSE TO STRONG ODORS
It’s important to avoid any contamination between your wines and sources of strong odors like onions, garlic, vinegar, and such. Wine absorbs strong smells. - FORGET PERIODIC CHECKS
The management of a wine cellar requires a constant maintenance. You should check them periodically (once a week is ideal) to analyze the state of wine and prevent any possible problem that could jeopardize the aging process.
Now that you know where to start, the fun begins! For advice on which bottles to buy to start your collection, or if you are looking for a professional help to manage your wine cellar at home, contact me.
