To know what a good wine cellar should meet, we will list the 6 most important criteria for storing wine:
- A temperature of 12° C is best for wine to mature
- A humidity level between 60 and 75% is important to keep the cork moist from the outside
- Air circulation prevents mold
- Wine should be stored in the dark
- Wine should be stored vibration-free
- And wine should be kept free of odors
Good wine cellar
A wine cellar is only good if all of the above points are met. However, the problem is that many cellars are built without the proper technical knowledge needed to properly store wines. Many good wines are ruined and lost as a result, a downright waste of money. To avoid this, it is essential to consult an expert early on.
So, what are the biggest mistakes people make when building a wine cellar?
Mistake 1 - Assuming that cellars are cool year-round.
Mentioning an underground cellar conjures up the image of French wine cellars in the Bordeaux region. These traditional cellars are completely underground, often meters below the earth and not surrounded by heat sources. It is rare to find a naturally cool and stable cellar in the Netherlands and Belgium.
"People assume that an underground cellar is naturally cool," says Tombrock, director of EuroCave, "but in reality the opposite is often true. In the summer and especially if they have a concrete ceiling, the space can get very hot. Even in winter, when there is underfloor heating in the room above, there is a chance of heating up." The result, then, is often that the wine cellar is too warm.
Mistake 2 – Not having the right wine cellar cooling system.
Installing a normal air conditioner in your cellar is a big mistake. "An air conditioner will not get the temperature low enough, will not keep it constant enough and will dehumidify the air too much," Tombrock says. The ideal cellar temperature for wine is between 10 and 14° Celsius, while the humidity should be between 60 and 75% . "If the humidity is too low, it leads to the drying out of the corks, which then shrink. This allows air into the wine bottle, causing the wine to oxidize. If the humidity is too high, you get mold on the labels. Storing wine in a cellar without any kind of climate control equipment is a big risk.
The solution: install the right climate equipment like the EuroCave INOA wine cellar cooling system that creates a constant low temperature and relatively high humidity needed to properly preserve wine in the wine cellar.
Mistake 3 - Insufficient insulation or improper insulation.
Too often Tombrock has seen cellars and rooms with inadequate insulation, especially if an adjacent room does heat, this is essential. A cellar must be properly insulated with the right material. With proper insulation, the wine cellar cooling system will operate efficiently and will use less power. Proper insulation is a simple and a less expensive option than is thought, if you include it at the beginning of construction. If it needs to be installed or changed later, the cost is significantly higher, Tombrock said.
Mistake 4 - Poor choice of door
Another common mistake is choosing a cellar door based solely on aesthetics, for example. "The cellar door must be technically correct; insulate well and seal well. Otherwise, it will leak temperature and moisture." The basement door is often an underrated child, but it certainly deserves attention.
Mistake 5 - Bad wine racks
"I've seen many cellars where a lot of money has been spent on beautiful wine racks that are not at all convenient to use. When buying wine racks, it is essential to look at the future of your wine collection; among other things, always changing the number of bottles of a variety. If you don't do that then keeping your wine collection organized can become a tedious job," Tombrock said.
Wine racks should be a good solution against different sizes of bottles and different numbers of a variety. Thus, it is important that the layout of a wine rack be flexible. There are a large number of wine racks available in different price ranges.
Finding the balance between appearance, ease of use, best use of available space and matching cost is a challenge when selecting the right wine racks. It is recommended that you choose a supplier that has choices from a variety of systems so that all your needs can be met.
Creating the perfect wine cellar is no easy task. After all, it also involves things like wine friendly lighting, suitable flooring, adequate air circulation and ventilation, preventing the wine cellar from being under run and many other technical aspects. Thus, it is wise to seek professional advice at the planning stage, which can prevent a lot of problems and all you have to do is enjoy your favorite wine stock in the perfect wine cellar.
