Beginners Guide to Starting a Wine Cellar
Understanding the Basic Steps for Building Your Wine Collection
Nov 2, 2008
In the last decade wine has become approachable. Gone are the days when people froze up over the "red" or "white" question. Today it is a rarity to go into a bar, lounge or restaurant and not have a lengthy wine list and more likely than not, a staff member who wears the Sommelier hat. It is often quite common to visit private homes and find that the host has a their own wine cellar.
The Home Wine Cellar
While it is certainly possible to find homes with cellars that rival those on the commercial setting, such is usually cost prohibitive for the beginning wine connoisseur. However, it is quite possible for the budding wine enthusiast to build a more than respectable collection without too much impact to the finances.
It is possible to convert one room in your home to a wine cellar complete with shelving, wine tasting stations and climate control. This is perhaps the most expensive way to go.
Another option is to purchase a ready made cellar. This is essentially a customized refrigerator devoted to wine. These allow wine to be stored horizontally in a climate that is conducive to the preservation of the wine. These range in size from the traditional dorm refrigerator size to large built-in wall units that can short hundreds if not thousands of bottles.
While between these two ideas there are a number of approaches, these approaches can be expensive even costing several hundreds of dollars. However, you don't need to fret, you can still begin to build a wine collection without a separate unit in which to store your wine.
Locate a dark closet and store the wine on the floor horizontally. Make sure the temperature stays in a consistent range. This approach will not be an answer for long-term storage and it would not be recommended to store very expensive bottles; however, for those starting out, it is more than acceptable.
Selecting your Wine
When selecting your wine, work within your budget. It will also be important to build some relationships among wine retailers. Visit your local wine superstore such as Total Wine or other similar store. Other stores such as Whole Foods, Harris Teeter and even Costco have dedicated wine associates who can help you select the proper wine for your budget. Smaller boutique stores, while generally a bit more expensive, can be a wealth of knowledge and can often provide some of the best customer service. The most important thing to remember is that you don't have to spend a lot of money to enjoy good wine. Asking questions and experimentation will be invaluable in selecting your wine.
Taste to Learn - Taste to Enjoy
Venture out and experiment. Many boutique wine shops and even the larger wine retailers often have wine tastings at low or no cost. This allows consumers to be exposed to more wine more often. Take advantage of this.
In addition to this, have and attend wine functions. Host wine parties. Have your guest bring wine. Sample and compare notes. This will also expose you to more wine.
Enjoy!
Most of all, enjoy your wine. Avoid hording wine. Wine is to be enjoyed so drink and have fun. There is nothing wrong with keeping a few special bottles for a special occasion, or, if you have the funds, investing in wine, but overall, enjoy wine and wine is best enjoyed with friends by the glass!
