Wine Cellar Construction: What You Need to Know

Wine cellars from Rosehill Wine Cellars

Special wine cellar construction protects fine wine collections.

Wine cellar construction is our passion at Rosehill Wine Cellars. Much of the satisfaction we derive from our work is in sharing little known facts. Only about 2% of wines sold are meant to be aged. The other 98% are intended for immediate consumption. Wine collecting is obviously not a hobby adopted by the masses. The following are a few wine cellar construction tidbits for those who may be new at oenophilia.

Makeshift Cellars Aren’t Sufficient

Wine spoils when stored in a typical basement. There are certain conditions which must exist for wine to age properly. Temperature must be regulated. There should be no heat, light, or moisture. Some amount of humidity is needed so that corks don’t become too dry and shrink. When a wine cork shrinks, the wine evaporates and oxidation affects the taste. The wine bottles must be stowed horizontally and should not be jostled or moved at all. Vibration is a bad thing. Anyone who lives near a train track should not have a wine cellar.

Vapor Barrier

The vapor barrier is a critical component in wine cellar construction. In high-humidity climates, the barrier will prevent moist air from getting to your wine collection. Too much humidity causes mold. If you live in a dry climate, the vapor barrier regulates humidity. Wine cellar humidifiers are often needed.

Flooring

Every part of a wine cellar must be taken into consideration, to ensure an environment that’s conducive to proper wine storage; and that includes the floor. Floor insulation is often recommended, depending on various conditions. The purpose of insulation is to create an environment that accommodates consistently cool temperatures at a specific and narrow range.

The flooring for a wine cellar should never be any type of carpeting. The damp, cool atmosphere in wine cellars causes mold and mildew to develop on carpets and rugs. Just about any other type of flooring is fine. In fact, a wide range of flooring is used in wine cellars across the world. Hardwood, slate, tile, concrete, marble, cork, and vinyl are all perfectly fine and are frequently chosen for wine cellar flooring.

Doorway

The door is frequently the aspect of a wine cellar that fails. A wine cellar must be a sealed environment, for wine to age well. When the seal on the cellar door is lacking, controlling humidity and temperature is more difficult. Cooling units tend to burnout prematurely due to the need to run continuously.

These are just a few of many details involved with proper wine cellar construction. Contact us at Rosehill Wine Cellars to ensure that your wine collection is in an optimal environment.