Wine cellars are cool, literally! They help keep wine at the proper temperature and are a natural addition to any homestead. If you are all about the simple life, you deserve a wine cellar. Here’s why!
What Wine Cellars Do for Wine
One of the most sensible reasons for installing a wine cellar in your homestead is preserving your wine for a long period of time, perhaps years. Wine is very temperamental when it comes to factors like temperature and humidity.
When exposed to heat, wine will begin to degrade. Likewise, excessive levels of humidity can cause the wine to spoil. If you can keep a consistent temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit or slightly cooler in your cellar, this will ensure your wine is maintained.
Natural corks can absorb moisture, which will cause the wine to spoil over time. On the other hand, artificial corks and, of course, screw tops cannot absorb moisture.
If space is a concern, don’t worry about keeping your wine bottles on their sides unless they have a natural cork. Wines with artificial corks, which make up the majority of corked wines today, can be kept upright. The same goes for wine with a screw top.
For the best results, however, you should store high quality wines rather than the cheapest stuff. Much wine today is simply not made to last.
Wine Cellars Help Save Money
Life off the grid is less expensive when you have a wine cellar. Why? One of the oldest tricks in the book is to save money by buying in bulk. Boxes of wine are cheaper than buying by the bottle. You won’t be paying extra, and you’ll reduce the need for shopping.
Having a wine cellar will allow you to store more wine for longer periods without worrying about spoilage. You will know your wine is safe for the foreseeable future, and you can feel good about investing in it.
Your Wine Cellar Can Make Money
A cellar helps to keep things organized. If you plan on keeping a large variety of wines from different vintages, building a wine cellar will help you keep your wine properly preserved and well-organized. Good organization is always an intelligent investment.
There’s a lot of satisfaction in being self-sufficient. With a wine cellar, you could store cases of wine that will be more valuable in the future. Certain wines grow rich in value and flavor over time when stored properly. This means you can enjoy more earnings and more flavor as time goes by. Definitely do your homework to find the right wines if you want to do this.
For that matter, you may decide to try making your own wine. With a cellar to keep it cool, you can sell off the extra and add to your income.
Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be all about the money. You can store a portion of wine to sell later once it grows in value and another portion for your own enjoyment.
Building Your Wine Cellar
There are many DIY plans that show how to build a cellar. The main things to consider are temperature, light, and vibrations. Second to that, you will want to consider security. You don’t want children, for instance, to disturb the cellar’s contents. After that, there are considerations of space and storage. If you have an actual cellar, a basement, or an unused closet, you are halfway to building a wine cellar.
When you think about it, a wine cellar can also be a little getaway. You can go down and unwind in a cool place while you admire your unique collection.
