Wine cellars are one of the safest places to store wine bottles. With the right storage conditions, wine cellars offer the safest environment for storing wine bottles. The best part is that you can opt for modern underground wine cellars if your place is too small to build a dedicated wine room. But should you do that? Will the basement cellar be good for your wine collection?

Let’s learn more about that in the below blog post.

Can you store the wine bottles in your basement?

Most people consider the basement as the ideal spot to store wines. It offers a naturally cooler, darker and calmer environment than other spots. But let us tell you that the basement is not that ideal for cellars.

Here’s why,

1. Most basements come with poor insulation systems. Hence, it becomes almost impossible to protect your wine bottles from the effects of seasonal changes. Though you can replace your basement’s insulation, it’ll cost you a lot of money, effort and time. Besides, it can’t also guarantee you a suitable environment for storing and aging wines.

2. You may know that smells can alter the aroma and quality of wines. Leaving wines around an area with a bad smell can ruin your wine collection. Well, the basement is a place with musky and foul odours. It’s usually because of excess humidity and moisture in the air. Leaving your wine bottles in this environment can corrupt their delicate aromas.

3. Regulating the temperature levels is difficult in the basement compared to other areas in the house. And, it’s a must to maintain a regulated and constant temperature to keep the wine bottles intact. Since most basements aren’t air-conditioned, they’re prone to change the temperature when seasons change. Well, a slight fluctuation in temperature can cause huge damage to your wine collection.

4. Alongside the temperature, the basement is also prone to become humid during summer and dry during winter. Well, this fluctuation in the humidity level can be fatal to your wine bottles. Too much higher humidity can invite moulds to your wines, while too much lower humidity can dry out the corks and oxidise your wines.

What will you need to build a wine cellar in your basement?

But you can turn your basement into a full-functioning place to store and age your wines safely.

All you’ll have to do is consider the following,

1. Transform your basement into a full-functioned wine cellar.

It’s one of the first things you should do when thinking about building a wine cellar underground. You must ensure that your basement has an ideal temperature and humidity level along with an odour-free environment with minimal light.

And for that, you’ve to include the following,

• A wine cellar cooling unit.

• Vapour barriers in the walls, floor and ceiling.

• Electric connection and safe access to the power outlets.

• Spray foam or fibreboard insulation.

• Floor sealing options.

2. Invest in a wine cellar cooling unit.

Once you’ve set up the insulation, air conditioning and electricity in your basement, it’s time you should invest in a wine cellar cooling unit. Here’s why,

• Having a proper wine cellar cooling unit set up in the basement can help you maintain the ideal temperature range (55o F – 65o F). Hence, you can protect your wine collection from severe hot and cold climates. A slight fluctuation in temperature can turn your wines into vinegar.

• Alongside the temperature, the cellar cooling unit can also help you maintain the perfect humidity level (55% - 75%) in your underground wine storage. Hence, you can avoid mould build-up on your wines and prevent their corks from drying out.

3. Install modern wine cellar racks to store your wine bottles.

You must choose the right racks for racking your precious bottles. Here’s how,

• Ensure to choose a sturdy one made of materials that age along with the wines.

• Avoid using particle or composite boards for your wine racks.

• Ensure that your racking can accommodate all the bottles in your collection.

Are you planning to invest in modern underground wine cellars? Before you do that, ensure that you’re doing it correctly. We hope this blog post will help you with that.

Author Bio: The Author is a professional wine cellar builder. For years, he’s helped many people build lush in-house underground wine cellars. Also, he’s written many articles and blog posts on the same.