In a bad economy, what do you sell? According to the Nielson Company, people are buying much more practical items like canned goods, food storage products, and spending much less money on entertainment and outings. Less time away from home has resulted in a significant increase in sales of wines and spirits! People don’t look for alcohol, but they still want to drink at home. Americans are already spending more on wine than any other nation. In 2007, the US invested nearly $ 22 billion in wine purchases, according to the report by the London-based wine market research company. What does this mean? Wine enthusiasts’ love of grape-making has not waned.
A natural progression in the passion for wine is the idea of creating a home cellar. Cellars have become elegant and sought-after items in homes. The National Association for the Remodeling Industry has documented that adding a warehouse to your home will add value to your home and provide a positive return on your investment.
Homeowners are finding underutilized spaces in their homes to make them attractive places to drink. These spaces can be closets, niches or the most popular: basements! The size of the cellar can vary, but it does not generally encompass the entire basement. The vibration protection that a basement offers makes it a popular choice. Many basements include tables for tasting, plumbing lines leading to sinks for rinsing, cabinets and drawers for storing accessories, and even music for entertaining. How you want to use your wine cellar, in addition to the obvious wine storage, is an important fact to consider before beginning your renovation.
However, wine bottles are not always easy to share. To keep them happy and full of flavor, they can be a bit fussy and difficult to care for. For these reasons, it may be beneficial to consult with a professional remodeler familiar with cellar renovations to build the best cellar for your bottles. Here are some specifications that I recommend for residential warehouses:
o Temperature: Often called one of the biggest concerns in wine storage! The ideal temperature is 50ºF to 55ºF, but several degrees on each side is quite safe. Temperature fluctuation is another big concern. Ask your renovation professional about installing specific temperature controls for your cellar.
o Steam: wine is very sensitive to humidity; all walls must have a vapor barrier and insulation. The vapor barrier is a 6 mil polyethylene plastic sheet and should be on the “warm side.” The warm side means that the vapor barrier is protected from the cellar (cold side) by insulation. The vapor barrier placed on the side of the cellar will cause moisture to condense on the barrier and could damage its walls.
o Walls: Interior walls must have a minimum of R-11 insulation and exterior walls must have a minimum of R-19. Much of the wall space will be covered by a combination of cabinets, individual bottle buckets, and diamond buckets. Consider the size and number of bottles you want to store before you or your contractor start designing your layout.
o Floors: Low concrete floors, such as in a basement, need a vapor barrier, which means they must be sealed with concrete sealer. Any floor above ground must be R-19 with a vapor barrier. Stone or tile floors are a very popular and traditional option for laying over barriers.
o Door: The door must be an exterior grade door with a weather seal to keep your home cellar temperature regulated at all times.
o Lighting: The light in your cellar should emit as little heat as possible, while still adequately illuminating the space. If you choose to use any lighting that emits ultraviolet rays, such as halogens, be sure to attach an ultraviolet filter film to protect the wine.
o Tables and Seats: If your space is large enough, you will surely want a table and seats to entertain friends or simply enjoy your wine in absolute privacy. Many wine cellar table options include additional storage under the tabletop; The height of the bar is a popular choice for wine cellar tables and countertops.
