Cellaring Your Wines

Home Wine Cellar

Constant temperature: Somewhere between 14 and 15 degrees, with very little variation in the temperature, is the ideal.
Constant humidity level: The ideal range is between 60 and 70 per cent. Low humidity dries out the corks; high humidity encourages mould.
No vibrations or disturbance: Don't move your bottles unless you have to; the floor surface and racks should be very stable.
No light: UV light oxidises wine, affecting taste and colour.
Low ventilation: Fast-moving air currents can vary the temperature in parts of the cellar too quickly.
Easy access and management: In a well-managed cellar, bottles don't need
to be moved until they are needed -
and the cellar is restocked as fast as it is emptied so that it never runs dry.
Good security: Many cellars are filled with investment wines that are worth tens of thousands of dollars. A decent home security system should also cover the cellar and your comprehensive insurance polaicy extended to include the value of your wines.