Putting in a personal wine cellar can help keep your prized wine collection protected. In order to age properly and to develop the intricate layers of taste intended, wine needs to be stored in a cellar away from the low humidity, temperature changes and less than desirable storage the rest of the average home provides.

Small-scale or on a big scale, a wine cellar should incorporate the following components:

• proper insulation
• racks to protect and display the bottles
• good temperature controls
• proper lighting levels

Your wine cellar can be an expression of your taste - perhaps you have a preference for practicality, and as much storage in a small space as possible. However, you may want a show piece where you can entertain friends and sample wines in elegant comfort. Have your needs in mind when designing your cellar.

Also note that a wine cellar need not be reserved for a country estate, as people from all walks of life who enjoy a fine bottle of wine build or have wine cellars in their homes.

Embark on the design process with an understanding of how you think of your wine collection. Some bottles resemble art pieces, so you may want to display them prominently. Sometimes you may desire to showcase a rare vintage, or perhaps decorate your space with wine-related arts or crafts that bring ambience to the area.

A variety of storage designs correctly combined will give your wine cellar the most versatility. You can purchase modular storage systems that assemble in a customized fashion, or you can have a carpenter create the storage (this can be the more expensive option).

Simple storage racks (in wood or metal) will ensure that the wine remains effectively ventilated and separated. You may also want an area reserved for wine accessories, like glasses, corkscrews, bottle openers and wine chillers or buckets.  Your wine cellar can also have purely decorative elements such as handcrafted doors or mood lighting.

Red wines benefit most from being stored in a cellar, especially varieties that acquire flavoring from long-term storage. Most people imagine that cellars have to be located in the basement or otherwise beneath the house, but they can actually be set up in any area of the house as long as the temperature and humidity levels can be sufficiently controlled. Make your wine cellar a personal tribute to your passion for wine.

If you want to discover more about wine cellars, head over to http://www.infoaboutwine.com

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Guide - The grapes which are utilized in wine production at these wineries can come from vineyards owned by the wineries themselves, or it can be made from grapes that are purchased and imported from other vineyards around the world. As wineries are becoming popular attractions for tourists, many different types of wine tours are now offered by many wineries around the world.

1-Oxygen

Wine begins to spoil the moment it is opened. While short term exposure to oxygen or “breathing the wine” can open the aromas and flavours of various red wines, any contact with oxygen before opening a bottle and its all over, down the sink.

2-Strorage

When the wine is in an upright position as many are at your local liquor store for months and sometime years, the drying out of the cork will have disastrous effects due to oxidation. So try to buy wines that are stored lying down, or as becoming more popular, screw caped bottles.
Store your wine at home in a wine rack or if you are serious about your wine collection, keep it in a temperature controlled wine cellar or cooler.

Guide - Always put the cork back on and put the wine in the fridge. The oxidative process slows down dramatically in cooler temperatures.

3-Temperature

Heat and humidity are also important to the welfare of your wine, for longer storage humidity should be around sixty percent and will keep the corks fresh and expanded.
An ideal temperature range for the longer term storage should be at about 55 degrees, for storage of up to six months 55 to 70 degrees should be ok, it’s important to realise that wines can be stressed by variations in temperature so try to keep it stable by cellaring.

4-Light

Ultraviolet light affects your wine! That new wine rack you have in your dining room, sure it looks great in the afternoon sun but don’t expect the wine to be that way, keep your wine away from fluorescent lights, sunlight and from heat sources such as the furnace, hot water heaters, water pipes, other appliances, and especially the top of your fridge!

5-Cellars

It’s clear that proper storage of your wine is critical for day to day wine and high quality wine that you want to enjoy in years to come. A wine cellar is your best choice if you have the space, why not make it a special place incorporating a bar and tasting facilities. If you can’t cellar your wine or prefer to buy wines that are ready to drink a good quality wine rack kept in the basement, under a stairwell, or other cool area of your home is a must.

Guide - When storing wine an option is to transfer the remaining wine to a half-bottle (375ml) and put it in the fridge. Doing this eliminates most of the air that would normally come in contact with the wine in a standard-size bottle (750ml).

Visit www.aboutwineracks.com for more information and suppliers of wine racks, wine cellars and building a home wine cellar.

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