Dos and Don’ts to Follow While Building a Concrete Wine Cellar

Wines are better when aged. You need to store the bottle properly to get the most out of the wine. Putting it on the shelf where it is exposed to direct sunlight will not do anything good and ruin its flavour. If you want to get the best flavour and scent out of your wines, proper storage is a must. Get a concrete wine cellar to enjoy an uninterrupted supply of aged wines when you crave them the most.

Anyone can have a concrete wine cellar at home

When getting a concrete wine cellar built at your home, it would help if you had expert hands to create the masterpiece with the right temperature, vapour, and humidity balance. If the construction is not done right, the money and time spent on it will be a waste.

Therefore, read on to find out more about the construction dos and don’ts to follow while getting a cellar built at home.

The right place to get the cellar built at home

You can get the cellar built anywhere in the home. However, its efficiency will depend on the cost and efforts put into it. So, whether you choose your backyard or basement as the right location for your cellar, you will need to have the humidity of that area under control and make it vibration-free. Keeping these factors under control will help the maturation process and provide you with perfectly aged wine from the shelves.

Follow the dos and don’ts while building a concrete cellar in the home:

Don’t:

• Pick the wrong location

A wine cellar is not just a small space cut out of your basement or any part of your home. The proper selection of a place decides the flavour of your wines, and hence, you should choose accordingly. Even if you don’t wish to build a wine empire and solely enjoy your collection, you still need an excellent location for your cellar. The selection of the wrong place will make you waste hundreds and thousands of dollars just like that.

Instead….

Choose a location that is cool and dark. It should not have any access to direct sunlight. Exposure of wines to direct sunlight will ruin their taste and texture.

• Ignore the humidity and temperature levels

Cold and hot temperatures both have their consequences in the long run. A wine expands and contracts in hot and cold temperatures, sometimes popping the cork out. Therefore, no one should ignore the temperature levels and maintain the sweet spot, which is 55 degrees. You can deviate a little to points like 60 and 65 but not any more than that.

Apart from temperature, humidity levels should be maintained properly because the right humidity level makes the cork in the bottle work its best. It keeps the oxygen out and prevents wines from spoiling.

• Organize the wines improperly

Every wine lover has two collections in his/her cellar. One collection is for fancy occasions; the others are just for daily use. But some people do not mind the difference and mix the daily use wines and fancy wines altogether.

Many wines have an expiration date and an unorganized inventory can lead to spoiling of some wines because of delayed use and consumption. Therefore, you should arrange your cellar inventory depending on their time of consumption and features. In case you have a wine business; you can invest in incredible software to help you keep track of the inventory.

• Stack bottle in the upright direction

According to traditional winemakers, wines should always be stacked on their sides. Stacking wines in an upright position will remove the contact between wine and the cork. This will make cork dry and allow oxygen to pass into the bottle and spoil the taste.

Dos:

• Seal the cellar completely

If you wish to keep your wine intact and unspoiled, then balance all the elements of a cellar and provide the cellar a highly controlled environment. You should double-check the area for any water leaks, air leaks, or improper insulation. You can get a concrete cellar for better advantages.

• Perform the vapour barrier installation

Moisture build-up due to condensation inside the wine cellar is quite normal. The warm air outside causes it in the inner side of walls. The moisture may lead to mould growth and rotting. Therefore, make the cellar vapour-proof and install a proper barrier.

• Finish the floor

In concrete wine cellars, ensure that concrete walls are nicely sealed with sealants like Epoxy, Urethane, Silane, etc. In case you don’t wish to invest in sealants, you can put tiles on the walls with a secure adhesive.

• Arrange for a cooling system

Whether it is a big or small cellar, you will need a proper cooling system for it. The cooling system will keep the temperature intact and maintained inside the cellar to keep the wines secure and ready to use at the right moment.

So, these are a few dos and don’ts to follow while building a wine cellar in your house. For more, contact an experienced professional.

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