What longtime wine enthusiast does not dream of a private wine cellar, complete with an opulent tasting room and an elegant table for tasting comfort? If you love wine like I do, likely you have a lot of wine bottles consuming much-needed space in your kitchen. If you are really “into” wine and plan to stash a few bottles away to enjoy at its peak in five to ten years, then you are talking about a cellaring project. So, when you think about it, adding a wine cellar just makes good sense.The majority of the country’s fine private wine cellars are admittedly on the luxury side, constructed to satisfy whimsy and the most sophisticated taste. However, it doesn’t take to big a bite out of the budget to turn unused basement or garage space into a wine cellar. Upon close examination, you will note that some of the most elaborate, and expensive wine storage racks are not that expensive to have built by a cabinetmaker or to build yourself. WineCoolerDirect.com/wine-cellar-on-a budget features a wealth of plans and construction tips.Simply line the walls with shelving and racks, add a small table and a couple of bar stools and you have your wine cellar. If you are not into frugality and simplicity, of course, you can spend tens of thousands of dollars just to build the room complete with lighting, insulation and climate control. Its wise to remember that it is crucial to the safety and security of your wine inventory to provide a backup power source such as a generator that will kick in automatically in the event of a power outage. Then you will still need to allocate funds to stock it with wines that may cost several thousand dollars more.HomeStratosphere.com offers a diverse array of over 40 unique and innovative luxury wine cellars to inspire and motivate you to get started on a wine cellar project. Why not make it into the ultimate “man cave” complete with wrap around stereo, an entertainment center, a state-of-the-art pool table and a built in cigar humidor right beside your super-comfy leather recliner?Who said it isn’t fun to dream?Stocking Your Wine Cellar WiselyIdeally, your wine cellar will be stocked with all you favorite vintages to share with family and friends, a few special bottles put away to celebrate a life milestone event, and then an eclectic selection of wines chosen for both their impressive flavor and unusual characteristics as well as their investment potential.Remember The BasicsIf you are purchasing wine to drink later, you want to store it at approximately 55 degrees F. with someway to control temperature fluctuations. Maintaining adequate humidity is just as important to keep corks moist.If you have scant experience savoring wines that have aged in the bottle, enlist the assistance of wine loving friends or a knowledge wine shop proprietor to provide some sound advice on wines worthy of aging.A personal wine cellar is all about aging wine. Sommelier Courtney Humiston of Charlier Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, CA. advises, “The joy of aging wine is discovering how the fruit from a single year can continue to evolve for decades. If you prefer the fresh, juicy flavor of wines that have been recently released, then it could be that you should devote your resources elsewhere.”
A Wine Cellar Of Your Own
