Fine wines can get better with age, but they need to be treated properly. If you have or you inherited a fine wine collection is it is imperative that the fine wine is stored correctly.

There are six important factors for fine wine storage and they can all be met with a wine cellar to protect and make your wine last longer.

• Security
• Ventilation
• Temperature
• Stability of Temperature
• Darkness
• Humidity

Although these are self-explanatory I will be touching just a bit on each one.

Security – This can mean protection from theft, but it can also mean protection from breakage or even being disturbed too much.

Ventilation – it is important that other odorous items are not stored in the wine cellar and that it is free from odor.  Sounds crazy but the cork is a breathable material and air can go into and out of the bottle making the wine pick up smells and tastes from these odors.

Temperature – The temperature of the wine cellar the colder the wine cellar the slower the aging of the wine and the warmer the faster it ages. If kept in your closet or on a shelf in the living room it will age much faster than in a refrigerated wine cellar.

Stability of Temperature – You heard of set it and forget it, well that’s almost true with wine cellars, it is set it and maintain it.  Fluctuations in temperature wreak havoc on wine.  Wine is more like your retirement account, set it up and leave it alone.

Darkness – Low level lighting is ok for wine but the short wavelengths degrades the special flavors in a fine wine. Even though the wine is in a bottle that can protect it, don’t put it in direct sunlight.

Humidity – Wine cellar humidity is tricky you need it humid enough as to not dry out the cork but dry enough not to have mold form in the wine cellar.  Humidity between 60-80% should be a good balance.

The key is to get fine wine into a stable, safe, temperature controlled, ventilated, light controlled environment and there is an environment that fits the bill and that’s in a wine cellar.  So, for your wine temperature control or to be referred to someone to build your wine cellar, call Cold Craft, Inc. we will be glad to help you.  Cold Craft 408.374.7292 coldcraft.com