Common Questions When Starting a Wine Collection
Contents
- 11. Why Do I Need a Wine Cellar?
- 1.1a. Temperature
- 1.2b. Light
- 1.3c. Humidity
- 1.4d. Air
- 1.5e. Rest
- 22. What Type of Wine Cellar Should I Have?
- 2.1a. Service or Day Wine Cellar
- 2.2b. Aging Wine Cellar
- 2.3c. Multi-Purpose, Multi-Temperature Wine Cellar
- 33. How Do I Organize my Wine Collection?
- 44. Does a Wine Cellar Require Maintenance?
- 5Residential Custom Wine Cellar Designer and Builder in California
Are you planning to start a wine collection in Los Angeles, California? If you are, you need to have a residential custom wine cellar designed and built. Here are a few of the most common questions regarding where to store wines:
1. Why Do I Need a Wine Cellar?
Among all the different kinds of wine storage solutions in California, wine cellars are the most efficient. Custom wine cellars are able to provide the ideal conditions for wine conservation, including stabilized temperature, the absence of light, controlled humidity, adequate ventilation, and stillness/rest.
a. Temperature
Custom wine cellars are able to provide wines with the temperature they need for proper aging. Ideally, wine should be stored in a temperature of 51 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit, and with minimal to no fluctuations. When the temperature is below this range, the aging process of wine slows down, and if it is above the range, the process speeds up too fast. The flavor of wine is negatively affected if the aging process is too slow or too fast.
b. Light
Light, especially ultraviolet light, can cause oxidation and damage wine. This is why most wine bottles are dark-colored. A proper wine storage place prevents the overexposure of wines to light.
c. Humidity
Wine corks need to be kept moist so that they do not shrink. Shrinking will allow oxygen to enter the bottle and damage the wine. To keep wines moist, a wine storage place should be adequately humid. A residential wine cellar can provide wines with the ideal humidity of 50% to 80%.
Custom Wine Cellars in California
d. Air
A good wine cellar protects wines from contaminated and foul-smelling air. Since wines breathe through the cork, filthy air can negatively affect the flavor of wine.
e. Rest
Wine, especially vintage wine, does not do well with shocks and vibrations. It can be irreversibly damaged if exposed to constant vibrations. Properly designed and well-built custom wine cellars protect wines from too much vibration.
2. What Type of Wine Cellar Should I Have?
Wine Cellar Designs by Coastal
There are actually various types of wine cellars, and each one serves a different purpose. The wine cellar for you depends on your needs and your requirements. There are a few things you need to consider in order to determine the right type of wine cellar for you, and these include:
- How many bottles do you intend to store?
- Where do you plan to install your wine cellar?
- How many red, white and sparkling wines do you intend to collect?
- Do you entertain a lot of guests, or just occasionally?
- What is your average consumption of wine?
- What is the rate of your renewal of wines?
- What is your budget for the wine cellar construction?
a. Service or Day Wine Cellar
This type of custom wine cellar is recommended for wines that are meant for immediate consumption. This wine cellar makes sure that you always have a supply of wine bottles that are set at the ideal drinking temperature on hand. You can choose between single and multiple compartments with this type of cellar. Choose the multiple-compartment cellar if you intend to collect wines of different varieties. Different wines have different service temperatures, and a multiple-compartment wine cellar can cater to these differences.
b. Aging Wine Cellar
Aging custom wine cellars are ideal for those who want to keep wines for months and years. This type of wine cellar is the most common type of residential custom wine cellar in California. Aging wine cellars are designed for long-term storage and the maturing of wines.
c. Multi-Purpose, Multi-Temperature Wine Cellar
This type of wine cellar is a combination of a day cellar and an aging cellar. There are compartments in the cellar that are meant for the short-term storage of wines, along with compartments for long-term wine storage.
3. How Do I Organize my Wine Collection?
Nothing can stop a wine enthusiast from building up his wine collection over time. As your collection grows, the challenge you will face is keeping your wines organized.
There are many ways you can organize your wine collection. If you are aging wines, you probably know that you are not to move your wines often. Therefore, estimate how long they should be kept and arrange them by age yearly. You might also want to classify your vintages according to their origins, like Burgundy, Bordeaux, etc. Some wine collections keep track of their wine bottles by having a recording system. There are others who use computer software that helps keep their wine collection organized and up-to-date.
4. Does a Wine Cellar Require Maintenance?
Yes, wine cellars require a certain amount of maintenance. You need to have a regular schedule of when to empty and clean the cellar. In order not to disturb your resting wines too much, the process of cleaning should be done in an organized manner. Most wine cellar experts advise wine collectors to clean their cellars only during the cooler part of the year. This way, the wines are subjected only to a slight and momentary change in temperature.
Residential Custom Wine Cellar Designer and Builder in California
Wine cellars need to be properly designed and built so that they can effectively keep wines safe. Trust only a wine cellar expert with your wine cellar design and construction. There are many wine cellar designers and builders in California, and Coastal Custom Wine Cellars is among the most trusted. Coastal Custom Wine Cellars understands the essentials to proper wine storage and values the personal preferences of their clients. Coastal provides free consultation, in order to create an ideal wine storage solution that meets your personal needs and requirements. They also offer a free 3D wine cellar design. For more information about Coastal Custom Wine Cellars’ products and services, contact them at (888) 735-8889.