A person has to truly be a wine connoisseur to have the need of a wine cellar in the home. These custom wine cellars have very specific requirements that have to be met in order for the wine to be stored properly so that it develops or maintains its flavor over time. There are temperature requirements, light requirements and angle requirements as well as others that help to ensure that the wine is well kept. Although there are some variations in wine cellar design, such as how the racks are set up or how the cellar itself is shaped, the specifications of a typical wine cellar do not vary, since the quality of the wine would vary or even become ruined if they are not met.
Specifications
The first specification of a wine cellar is that it be kept at a constant temperature. The ideal temperature for wine storage is at about 55F. There are some historians that believe this is the ideal temperature because that is the approximate temperature inside of the caves where the first wines were developed in France. There can be some sort of a temperature difference, ranging from 45 to 60F, but ideally the temperature should not range more than a few degrees on either side of 55F. When wine bottles are taken out of the wine cellar, they should be used within a day or two so that it does not go bad. The wine ages much more quickly in higher temperatures and will turn a brownish color when it has gone bad. If the wine needs to be stored for a couple of days before opening it, it can be placed in the refrigerator, but it should be brought to the correct serving temperature before it is opened.
Another important consideration is light. In wine cellar design, there should never be sunlight in the room with the wine since it can cause damage to the quality of the wine. Even though the wine is bottled in dark containers, the sunlight can still cause damage to the wine inside. There should also be a sixty to seventy percent humidity level factored into the wine cellar design. Humidity is important because it helps to keep the cork in good condition, which in turn keeps out the harmful air. If the air is too dry, the cork can crack and let in air. If the air is too moist, the cork can mold or rot, which also lets air into the wine. The ventilation is also important in wine cellar design, since there is always some amount of air which will seep through the cork and any smells in the wine cellar can cause the wine to taste poorly.
