Different people are passionate about different things. Some are passionate about cars, while others are passionate about sports. But there are few people who are passionate about wine. Wine aficionados are rare and oenophiles are even rarer. You can identify one by the wine cellar in their basement. It’s important for oenophiles to have a wine cellar to store all their expensive wine. Why you ask? Well, here are 4 reasons why oenophiles should convert their basement into a wine cellar:
Maintain the Temperature
Wine bottles need to be stored at a consistent temperature, neither hot nor cold. The ideal temperature should be 55° F, but don’t worry about getting it perfect. As long as it’s close, the wine in the bottle should be protected. High temperatures can cook the wine, which can ruin its flavor and aroma. If the temperature is too cold the cork can dry up or be pushed out, allowing air to come into contact with the wine. Either of those scenarios is bad, which is why the safest place to store a wine bottle is in the cellar.
Maintain the Humidity
Just like the temperature humidity also plays an important role when it comes to storing wine. The ideal humidity in the air should be about 70%. The humidity prevents the cork from drying out, thus preventing air from entering the wine bottle. Basements provide the perfect humidity levels, which is why you should build a wine cellar there. That way you can store your wine bottles without worrying about dry air. If your basement is too damp you can use a dehumidifier to control the humidity levels. Dampness leads to mold and you don’t want that anywhere near your wine.
Keep Away From Sunlight
If you want to store wine for a long period of time, then you should keep it away from sunlight. UV rays prematurely age the wine you’ve stored, which sort of defeats the purpose of storage. Since there’s hardly any direct sunlight entering your basement, it’s the perfect place to build your wine cellar. Incandescent bulbs should be used as a source of light in the basement to prevent wine labels from fading overtime. The labels are also important, so you need to protect them as well. Without the label it will be difficult to know which wine you’re picking out from your cellar.
Avoid Shaking
Wine bottles need to be handled with care. If you shake them too much the cork might become loose and spill the wine. Installing a wine rack in your basement ensures the cork stays on the bottle. There is a reason why wine bottles are stored horizontally. This ensures the cork is constantly in contact with the wine, thus preventing it from drying out. A wine rack provides the necessary angle for that.
The reasons mentioned above should be sufficient enough for oenophiles to invest in a wine cellar in their basement. If you’re going to buy expensive wine, might as well store it properly.
