Creating Your Dream Cellar
A Unique Solution to the Problem of Where to Store Your Wine
By Rebecca and Joel Miller
Have an abundance of wine that will age before its time? Perhaps it’s time to give your precious bottles a room of their own, one in which they can age with grace and be ready to serve.
Imagine this: You’ve just pulled out that ’89 Petrus to decant for your special guests…is it a perfectly aged masterpiece or has it turned to vinegar? The difference lies in its storage conditions, or what oenophiles call “provenance.” A climate-controlled cellar is the optimum place for your private collection.
As we Californians don’t typically have cellars, perhaps it’s time to consider an easy and affordable conversion of that spare closet into a fine wine treasure trove with fabulous wine at hand for any occasion. A typical closet can become the ideal home for 150 to 500 bottles, and with the aid of a local craftsman, your wine room can be created in no time!
Things To Consider...
Location: Choose a space far from heat sources or vibrations. Avoid exterior walls, which may have greater temperature variations. Hall closets under the main stairway are a great option.
Walls: Cellar walls and ceiling should first be wrapped with 6-mil plastic sheeting (to form a vapor barrier and maintain proper humidity), then insulated (R19 or above), and finally dry-walled (use “purpleboard” for maximum effect).Floors: First seal concrete floors or prepare above-ground floors as per the walls. Choices of flooring vary widely – some prefer the old-world look of classic tiles while others prefer marble or slate. One innovative approach uses prepared, ecologically friendly, cork floor tiles, which come in many designs and provide a ‘soft landing’ for an errant fumbled bottle.
Lighting: Recessed cans on dimmer switches are a popular approach, combined with display rope lights for dramatic effect and minimal heat emission. Pendants add additional drama and can be found in fun wine bottle or grapevine designs.
Racking: High-quality redwood and mahogany are both highly durable. Racks can be custom-built or ordered in kits. Some companies offer free online design tools to help optimize kits within your space constraints. Make sure you factor space for large format and wide-bottom bottles which are popular for some varietals.
Doors: The door is essential for the ambience of the cellar as well as your home. You’ll want to use an exterior-grade door. Traditionalists will opt for either cast iron or “old wood” doors; a glass insert provides a ready view into the cellar.
Cooling: There are two options to keeping your gems at a constant temperature between 55 and 58 degrees Fahrenheit. For small spaces, an economical, self-contained unit works best. For larger spaces, consider a quiet “split system,” with an evaporator in the cellar and a separate condenser unit elsewhere in the house.
OnLine Resources
www.vintagecellars.com
www.wineracksamerica.com
www.grottocellars.com
Local Resource
The Golden Hammer, Inc.
2628 Lavery Ct. #407
Newbury Park, Ca 91320
805-498-9537
www.ghcabinets.com
Rebecca and Joel have been collecting wine for 25 years and recently converted a closet to a wine room in their Westlake home.
