The winery at home

For a true wine enthusiast, taking care of their wines and closely following their evolution is an invaluable experience. A wine cellar at home allows you to preserve and enjoy this process in a suitable space within the home. In this blog we leave you with all the details to take into account for this wine cellar at home.

Ideal conditions for a home wine cellar

To begin preserving great wines, a wine cellar must meet the essential requirements of darkness, humidity, tranquillity and temperature. The optimum temperature ranges between 10 and 15ºC, and it is possible to maintain it with systems such as expanded polyurethane sheets, fibreglass or air conditioning.

To keep a domestic wine cellar in perfect condition, it is essential to maintain certain basic conditions:

• Horizontal storage: Bottles should be stored horizontally, ensuring that the cork remains moist and sealed, preventing air from entering and causing sourness. There are beliefs that tilted bottles can generate a musty smell, however, this problem only occurs if the cork is defective.
• Temperature control: The wine cellar must be kept with minimal temperature variations (no more than 2ºC per day). In winter, the temperature must not fall below 7ºC, and in summer it must not exceed 20ºC.
• Protection from light and vibrations: Avoid exposing the wine to direct light, noise or vibrations, and also make sure there are no external odors that can seep in.
• Adequate humidity: Relative humidity must be maintained at a minimum of 70%, thus avoiding the drying of the corks and, consequently, the entry of air into the bottle.

Factors such as the orientation of the cellar, the thickness of the walls, ventilation and acoustic insulation are also essential for optimal conservation.

Organization of the wine cellar

We continue with the organization. Sort the wines by wine regions to respect the identity of each region. It is not necessary to calculate a specific number of bottles for a home cellar; if space is limited, purchase wines in small quantities as you consume them.

In addition, a wine cellar book This is very useful for those who plan to age their wines for a long time. In it, you can record details such as the name of the wine, vintage, type, producer, date of purchase, price, quantity remaining and observations on its evolution. This record will allow you to keep precise control of each wine and its development over time.

Avoid storing wine in the kitchen

It is common to see bottles on cabinets kitchen or under sinks, however, both places are harmful due to their thermal fluctuations. The kitchen in general is the least suitable place to store wines due to exposure to temperature changes, fumes and odours.

Problem vs Solution

To finish with these tips, we leave you with a list of common problems and their solutions for a home wine cellar:

Defect detected	Origin	Solution
Tartrate deposits	Excessive cold	Install an electric radiator with thermostat.
Early ripening	Excess heat	Improve the insulation of the cellar, install an air conditioner with a thermostat or a fan.
Dry cork	Lack of humidity	Moisten the soil or place a container with water.
Cork oozes out	Excess heat	Properly insulate the cellar.
Labels peeled off	Excess humidity	Varnish the labels or cover them with self-adhesive cellophane.
Fungus	Excess humidity	Use dehumidifiers or cover the floor with a layer of iron slag.
Undesirable odors	Poor ventilation	Install a ventilation system and avoid storing other products with strong odors in the warehouse.
Rusty taste	Exposure to light	Protect wines from direct light.
Tired wine	Vibrations	Avoid sudden movements and frequent reorganizations.
Color alteration	Excess heat	Improve the thermal insulation of the wine cellar and avoid metal lockers.

With the right conditions, a home wine cellar can preserve wines at their optimum, allowing you to enjoy their qualities and flavour at all times.

Health!