Imagine… You have searched high and low for your favourite wines and have lovingly stored them in your wine cellar for many years, waiting for the wines to mature and improve with time. It is your anniversary and you go to open your oldest yet most prized bottle of wine… but alas, it is RUINED!
Don’t be a victim to a flawed wine storage system. Find out the five biggest mistakes people make with cellaring wine and how to avoid them.
1. Trying to predict the year round temperature underground
The assumption that underground wine cellars will remain cool for the entire year is one of the biggest mistakes made by wine collectors. When the seasons change, the conditions underground will change as well. Wine cellars underground, especially those with concrete ceilings, will cause wines to heat up significantly during the summer months. During winter months, the wine cellar can become extremely cold. Such drastic shifts in temperatures will harm the wine and interfere with the aging process.
2. The absence of equipment for climate control or using the wrong substitutes
Air conditioners for example were never intended for use in a wine cellar. They are incapable of meeting the constant 140 Celsius requirement for wine cellars. In addition, wine cellars require an average humidity level of 70%, which air conditioning units cannot maintain. Low humidity can cause oxidization of the wine as a result of the cork shrinking; high humidity levels can result in mould damaging wine labels. Once the proper cellar cooling system has been implemented, the wine will be able to rest and mature gracefully.
3. Improper wine cellar insulation
Failure to insulate the wine cellar correctly may result in loss of air and increasing energy costs. The cellar temperature control systemwill be required to work twice as hard to meet the optimal temperature requirement in the cellar. Ensure that your wine cellar is fully insulated with foamboard, fibreglass, gyprock or something similar. Carefully insulate the door, windows, outlet boxes, fixtures, and any element that is likely to introduce outside air into the cellar.
The cellar door is just as important as any other component of the wine cellar. The door must be designed to meet certain technical specifications. At minimum, the cellar door must adequately seal the cellar and should also be properly insulated. No air should be able to enter or leave the wine cellar through the door once it has been closed.
4. Selecting the wrong wines for long-term cellaring
Not all wines require or suit long-term storage. Most white wines are best drunk within 1-2 years of production, with the exception of some Chardonnays and Semillions. And contrary to one’s hopes and wishes, poor quality wine will typically NOT improve over time. Therefore, select only high quality wine that is suited to long-term cellaring, otherwise you will be disappointed with the final result.
5. Wine racks that just do not work
A wine cellar with racks that are not effective can be a nightmare. The racks must be functional, easily accessible, and should cater to current and future needs of the owner of the wine cellar. Good wine racking will offer a mixture of solutions for storage that will work well with different wine bottle sizes and cases. The racks should of course be aesthetically pleasing, conserve on space where possible, and should provide value for money.