Wine Cellars

When you see Home Depot selling mini-fridge wine cellars, you know that wine appreciation has really become popular. Today there are many options for wine lovers to store their precious vintages: custom made wine cellars with humidity controls, wine rental lockers like a safe deposit box at a bank where customers can store their wine, and small undercounter self-contained wine coolers.

Centuries ago, wine cellars were underground where it was easy to keep the wine at a cool and steady temperature. Wine ages faster at warmer temperatures, so leaving a wine in the kitchen cabinet for a month in August will negatively impact the wine.

These days, a wine cellar at home can be above ground as long as it be a cool environment, well-ventilated, fairly dry (but not too dry or the cork will dry out leading to oxidation) and free of vibration.

The best temperature to store wine is between 50 and 55 degrees F. But even a temperature somewhere between 40 and 75 degrees will do, if it's a steady and not fluxuating drastically.

Most wines sold under $50 or so are drinkable now. So if a good bottle of Chianti Reserva for $18 is what makes you happy, a cellar isn't necessary.

Champagne Cellaring:
Champagne collecting and cellaring is a little different from still wines. First of all, it is important to explain the difference between NV (Non Vintage) and Vintage Champagne.

NV Champagnes are blends of different vintages of champagnes in the same bottle. So when you see a bottle that is classified as a Brut NV on the shelf, it's made with grapes from more than one year. Vintage Champagne, bottles that actually list a year on the label, such as 1996 Blanc de Blanc, is only bottled in what the growers and producers deem to be a great year.

One would assume there would only be Champagne in great years, but that is where the art of Non Vintage blending comes in. The blending process explains why we are always able to have a continuous Champagne supply.

NV Champagnes and Vintage Champagnes are both ready to drink as soon as you buy them. If you want to save or store or collect Champagnes, however, only the Vintage Champagnes are age-worthy. But keep in mind, if Champagne is ready to drink when you buy it, it won't get better with age. Champagne ages into a toastier, nuttier, and less fizzy style. So if you like the bubbles, try not to hold on to the Champagne in your collection too long.

All of the criteria for storing wine apply to Champagne, as well. Steady, constant temperature (preferably 55 degrees), stable storage with no vibrations, lay the bottles down, and keep them out of bright light, most especially sunlight.