Wine Cellars, Racks, and Storage.

Wine has been a big part of human civilization as far back as the Neolithic period. The first evidence of wine dates back over 7000 years to humanity’s first permanent settlements in the Near East and Egypt. As human’s moved from the hunter/gatherer to a more agricultural based society, crops and livestock became the primary source of food; and the processing of these crops eventually developed a variety of fermented beverages, including beer and wine.

Today, wine is as popular as ever. Many connoisseurs go to great lengths to collect rare and historically important bottles of wine, and the proper storage of this wine is essential to its maintenance. For these collectors, a well constructed wine cellar is imperative.

Wine storage isn’t necessarily as simple as keeping a bottle in the cabinet, especially for expensive and rare varieties. There are a number of things to consider when storing your favorite bottles, including temperature and humidity. It is for these reasons that a wine cellar needs to be carefully thought out before being constructed.

The original wine cellars were underground caves. The cool, stable environment lent itself quite well to the storage of this prized beverage. They were the ideal way to allow wine to properly age without becoming bitter. Today’s cellars essentially mimic these same conditions, but can do so in any basement or garage. For those with enough capital, cellars can be custom built to nearly any size or shape, and can be constructed wherever there is enough space. However, for those with a more modest budget, wine cabinets are an excellent alternative.

A wine cabinet is essentially a large refrigerator that is designed to hold wine specifically. These cabinets contain rows of wine racks, which are designed to hold the bottles at the proper angle; lying on their sides. Wine should never be stored upright. Wine is always stored on its side so that the wine is in consistent contact with the cork so that the cork doesn’t dry out. A dry cork doesn’t seal as effectively, and can allow outside air to penetrate to the inside of the bottle. This is a great way to ruin a good bottle of wine.

For the average person who doesn’t keep dozens of bottles of wine at one time, wine racks are often sufficient storage devices. Wine storage racks can be kept nearly anywhere, as long as they’re out of direct sunlight. These racks can be found in a number of different designs. Wall wine racks are, obviously, designed to be mounted onto a wall. Metal wine racks, as well as wood versions, are by far the most popular.  Decorative wine racks can be found to match nearly any home décor. They can range from simple, clean designs to the very strange and unique; and can be made from nearly any material. Some wine racks are even designed with spaces to hold all of your wine glasses as well.

If you’re looking for additional information on any of the topics covered on this page, feel free to peruse our learning center. There you will find much more detailed information on a variety of wine related topics.