Home wine cellars or other storage solutions are ideal locations for a wine collection, regardless of breadth and depth. It is a great starting point to begin by understanding the core conditions that wines require to age properly to ensure that a space is optimally designed to suit each wine and vintage. Amongst the many variables that should be carefully considered within a cellar space, it is important to draw attention to temperature, humidity, vibration, light, volume, and storage.

TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY CONTROL

Regardless of the chosen wine storage option, it is most critical that certain elements are constant within the space—namely temperatures and humidity levels. Proper aging is a slow, measured chemical change of the wine, and fluctuations in your cellar’s climate  will damage a fine wine. Wine ages best at an unwavering temperature set in the range between 55* and 65*F (13* to 18* C) and 50 yo 75 percent relative humidity.

TEMPERATURE

A wine cellar’s temperature determines the pace at which wine will age and, once it reaches maturity, preserve its quality. Depending on the collection being stored, ideal conditions favor unchanging temperatures that either allow wine to slowly age, or somewhat cooler temperatures to hold mature bottles that are ready to drink.

The vast majority of a modern wine collection can be safely stored at the same temperature and humidity, whether red or white. As a general rule, for most home wine collections of more than 500 bottles, a regulated temperature of 57* F (14* C) is ideal and acceptable for the majority of varietals, vintages, and labels.

To achieve ideal temperature conditions, the design and build should carefully ensure an airtight, insulated structure and ample thermal mass. Masonry walls, floors, and ceilings, whether freestanding or shared with another structure, provide the highest level of thermal mass. Any gaps in the space should be filled with expanding foam and fill any cavities with fiberglass or rigid foam insulation. Thermal mass alone, however, simply maintains a constant ambient temperature. It is important to choose refrigeration options and controllers to create a system that recirculates air and moisture outside of the cellar, to help hold optimum humidity levels.

HUMIDITY

While ideal humidity levels range from 50 to 75 percent, it is generally assumed that 60 percent humidity is optimal for proper wine storage. Maintaining an even humidity level keeps corks moist from the outside—the wine itself moistens the cork from the inside—and slows the transfers of gasses, oxidation, and evaporation.

Climate-controlled wine storage and cellars require adequate insulation and moisture vapor barriers; air-recirculated refrigeration; tight, durable door and window seals; and backup of electrical and refrigeration systems to prevent any lapses in service. Humidity can be controlled with a self-contained refrigeration system that recovers or condenses moisture within a cellar itself; a separate humidifier (or dehumidifier) is occasionally necessary, though you should provide extra humidity in wine chillers and other small wine appliances used for short term storage. This counteracts the drying nature of their refrigeration systems.

VIBRATION

Vibration becomes a concern when it's excessive or constant, stirs up sediment or, in the worst case, breaks bottles. Minimize vibration with properly installed and anchored racks. Moving, shifting, or standing bottles only when necessary.

Vibration during shipping can make wine cloudy upon arrival and should be given time to settle and recover; bringing it slowly to cellar temperature. To reveal a wine’s intended qualities, a wine storage space should be free of vibration.

LIGHT

Light, both as rays and as a heat source, can affect the quality of wine. Light rays—especially sunlight’s ultraviolet rays—excite charged ions within the wine and hasten oxidation, speed up chemical processes, and cause premature aging. The best cellar is a dim cellar. Wine should be stored away from windows, and provide only enough lighting in your cellar to find, open, and decant a bottle. Lights should be turned off whenever possible. Using low-wattage and fluorescent bulbs that generate limited heat, and controlling them with dimmers to cast light where needed is recommended.

VOLUME & STORAGE

The capacity of a wine cellar helps determine the environment for aging. Smaller reserves rotate faster and can be stored at temperatures up to 65* F (18* C) to accelerate their aging. Lower cellar temperatures are preferred for larger, long-stored collections with slower turn-over and aging.

Placing bottles on their sides, flat, or slightly tipped toward the neck, with the air bubble resting at the middle of the bottle, or at a slight incline to ensure corks are wet. As for screw-capped bottles, these should be stored upright to avoid potential leaking when placed horizontally. Individual bottle racks accommodate uniquely shaped bottles and display wines for easy access.