32 33 bhgrecollection.com | | THE DISTINCTIVE LIFE® Volume 13 Having a customwine cellar in your home is a perfect way to prepare for a number of hosting dilemmas. With a built-in cellar that's a focal point of a room or one that draws attention to itself as its own unique space, idle chatter turns into a lively exchange. To build a custom cellar that’s both functional and fabulous, one that ensures guests' drinks are always full and their interest is duly piqued, all you have to do is keep your mind and eye on space, climate, and design. WHAT SHOULD A CUSTOM WINE CELLAR HAVE? A custom wine cellar depends heavily on crafting a controlled environment. Whether you live in a sprawling country estate or a penthouse apartment in the city, your basic requirements are the same. The best home cellars are also attractive and engaging. So, whether you create a dedicated wine room as part of a greater kitchen remodel or convert an entire lower floor into a botanical bar-cellar hybrid, your arrangement and layout is critical. Just as important, storage capacity makes or breaks a wine cellar. Think about how often you may have wished you could add to your collection, especially those bottles you spied on during your last holiday but couldn’t bring home because you didn't have room for them. So, because temperature, humidity, aesthetics, and logistics are critical components of a custom cellar, it’s essential you take the time to carefully plan your project. To begin a discussion on what a custom wine cellar should have, pointing out the two main types of cellars is important. On the one hand, you can opt for an activecooled wine cellar with an automated climate-control system. The other option is to build a passively cooled cellar without automation that controls the temperature and humidity. How you maintain the correct conditions for your wine at all times determines where you build your cellar, what it looks like, and how it serves you and your guests. THE RIGHT CONDITIONS A custom cellar should have the technology or surrounding structure neccessary to keep wine appropriately stored to improve its aroma, flavor, and complexity over time. It should be a space that has minimal vibration, so transferred energy doesn’t interfere with the chemical aging process and the sediment in the wine can separate from the liquid in the bottle. Your cellar must maintain a temperature of 46-65 degrees Fahrenheit for long-term wine aging and 50-58 degrees Fahrenheit for wines aging at a normal pace. Wine only tolerates slight humidity variations; keeping humidity in the 50-70% range is best. Any wine stored for more than a year should stay away from direct or intense light. I NTER IOR DESIGN
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