Wine Cellar Advice For Collectors (Tips & Advice)

Creating the ultimate wine cellar for a wine collection is the height of luxury. There are many vital elements that go into making the best wine cellar and you will need good organisational skills, along with adequate space, ventilation and a wine-friendly climate.  

Wine Cellar Advice For Collectors

No two wine cellars are ever alike. Perhaps you want to grow your collection of aged wines potentially to gain some profit in the future.

Or else, you may simply be a wine lover and enjoy having a wide range of excellent vintages to delight your guests with.   

Consider The Space Available 

For a wine cellar, it may be unsurprising that you need a cellar! Or at the least a room that you can dedicate to the purpose.

Garages can work as well as an actual cellar (especially when you use a wine fridge designed to be used in the garage), but it is essential that the room you choose will have minimal footfall and a cool climate with low direct sunlight.

Lack of sun and a cool environment is particularly important for any wines you want to age.

If you don’t have a suitable room for this, you could invest in a wine cabinet where you can store wines safely to be aged.   

Decide On Your Buying Strategy 

You should make a list of different wines you want to acquire for your wine cellar. This can primarily come down to personal preference. Some people enjoy having multiple bottles of the same wine to age some and drink others. 

It is worth investing in good bottles rather than filling your cellar with cheaper vintages.

This can be costly, so ensure that you have a budget in mind before you begin. It can help to have a good mix of wines to drink and wines to age.

Ensure you know the proper standards for storing and ageing wine before you invest in any valuable bottles.   

Choose The Best Ways To Display 

Part of the joy of having a wine cellar is displaying your wines to show guests and other wine enthusiasts.

It can help, therefore, to have a number of display coolers that show your collection to the best advantage.

A wine wall is an excellent way to store wine safely while displaying the bottles. You could use a wine wall to display your most valuable or favourite wines.  

There’s nothing quite like walking into your own stylish wine cellar.

You could ensure that the décor is well put together, using complementary textures and materials. Wood is always an excellent choice for a décor that looks timeless and elegant.  

Keep An Inventory 

You should know what wines you have in stock at any given time.

You could consider keeping a list in the cellar itself that you can check off when you remove and drink the wines. You could also keep a spreadsheet for a more dynamic way of keeping track of your wine.  

An inventory can also be a good deterrent for any mischievous teens you have in the home! If you are worried about young children getting into the wine cellar, it may help to put a lock on the door to ensure that the room remains an adult-only space.  

Find Bottles That Will Age Well 

Research is crucial to help find wines that will age well. You could peruse the options available online or visit some local wineries and vineyards to find a good selection.

Discuss your options with vendors to find bottles that will age the best, and be prepared to pay good money for the best vintages.  

Stay Organised 

There’s nothing worse than going to your wine cellar to take out a particular bottle only to spend time rooting around your stores to find it. You can prevent this issue by staying meticulously organised.

If you are using a wine cooler, ensure that you know precisely which bottles are in each. If you are using shelving, it may help to create a map of the area to ensure that you always know where your wines are stored.  

Of course, for some wine collectors, the fun is going into your wine cellar to select a bottle of wine at random.

As with many things, it comes down to personal preference. You could consider keeping a section of organised wines with some wines that are stored at random so that you can have the best of both worlds.   

Understand Climate Control 

As mentioned above, your wine cellar should ideally be in an area that doesn’t get a lot of direct sunlight and generally remains cool.

The temperature necessary for each wine can vary, which is why it can be helpful to have a few wine fridges ffor any wines that require a specific temperature to age well.  

You may also consider getting a wine cooler dedicated to chilling wine before consumption. 

Consult A Sommelier 

If you are just starting your wine collection, it may help to consult a sommelier. A sommelier will be able to give you tailored advice on the wines to invest in based on your preferences and goals.

You could discuss your collection with a sommelier at a wine tasting or use a dedicated sommelier service for wine collectors.   

Conclusion 

Building up a wine collection can be an exciting and rewarding pursuit. It can also take some hard work, particularly when kitting out your wine cellar.

It is essential to understand the level of commitment that a wine cellar requires and the budget you will need to build up a truly impressive range.

It can help to start small and build your way up to a more extensive collection so that you can get to know the care of each wine you invest in as you go.  

If you’d like to know more about how you can use wine coolers to enhance your wine cellar, get in touch today for a consultation here at Expert Wine Storage.  

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