A wine cellar is a storage type of space for wine in barrels or bottles as well as in various plastic containers. The important thing to take into account is that there are important factors which should be carefully considered when it comes to keeping your wine in an active wine cellar.
We are referring here to factors such as humidity or temperature which are maintained by a specific climate control system. There are also passive wine cellars where the wines are kept without being climate-controlled and usually built underground with the main purpose of reducing temperature changes. Let’s see more about the purpose of the wine cellars in general and the best conditions in which wine should be stored.
The main purpose of wine cellars
Those who like wine know a thing or two about it and the best way in which to preserve wine. Those who are not well-informed about wine but would like to learn more about it should know that there are also aboveground wine cellars which are most commonly known as wine rooms. Other people are more familiar with wine closets as those small wine cellars in which you could get less that 500 bottles of wine but which can also ensure great storage conditions.
The main purpose of wine cellars is that of protecting alcoholic beverages from possible external influences which might negatively influence the quality of the products. They provide the necessary darkness as well as a constant temperature for the proper storage of these products. It may not seem like but wine is a very sensitive type of product that needs to be well taken care of so as to be able to remain good even after many years of storage.
What should not be done when it comes to wine storage?
A very important aspect to consider when you are interested in finding the best wine storage options is to analyse the main factors that influence the way in which wine is kept in a wine cellar. Make sure you first of all become familiar with what you should not do in terms of wine storage. For example, you should never let the one exposed to heat or light because it will not be a good result for you.
Furthermore, keep the wine away from fluctuations in temperature or unwanted vibrations in the storage place because these could also influence the wine in a negative manner and even spoil it entirely. All you have to do is take such aspects into account and choose the best wine cellars in which to store your wine and you will have a great final product which will be properly preserved in time and which will actually improve its aroma and complexity during the storage period of time.
Important wine storage conditions
The list of important factors and conditions to consider when storing your wine in wine cellars continues with a focus on temperature. Wine can be stored at a temperature between 7 to 18 °C but do not think that this is all that has to be done. You should also focus on making sure that there are only gradual temperature variations in the wine cellar. Never take it from the minimum temperature limit to the maximum one directly or the other way around because this will also most certainly affect the product.
Furthermore, the ideal temperature for storing wine is believed to be 13°C. This is actually the temperature followed in most wine cellars in France and it has proven its effectiveness in keeping the wine good both in the case of short-term and long term aging. We should also mention that wine does not mature the same way and that this happens at a much slower pace when we are going for low temperatures in the case of its storage.
The greatest danger in terms of temperature refers to the wine breathing out through the cork. This usually occurs when there are significant temperature swings of 14 degrees or more which leads to a great increase in the wine aging process. If you want the wine to age normally and be well preserved you should keep it between 10 to 14°C.
Active and passive wine cellars
The first thing to consider when you might be thinking of making a serious wine storage is whether you would rather go for an active or a passively cooled wine cellar. Active wine cellars are very well insulated and this is why they must necessarily be very well constructed so as to become a proper environment for string wine.
Passive wine cellars, on the other hand, must be placed in damp and cool areas with very slight temperature variations so as for them to do their job properly. The general opinion is that passive wine cellars might be the better choice because they may be less predictable but they do not require high costs to be operated and are not affected by any power outage thus the risk of the wine being damaged in any way is much lower.
Be it an active or a passive wine cellar that you have chosen for your wine, the important thing is to follow the necessary steps and take the important factors into account for making your wine the best product even when it is stored for many years.
