[caption id="attachment_863" align="alignleft" width="258" caption="An Estate height wine cellar."][/caption]

Keeping track of your wine collection in a wine cellar  can be a daunting task. Here are some tips on how to organize your wine so you can easily locate your favorite bottle when you need it.

Q: How can I manage my wine storage?

A: Even if you have a small collection, it can be daunting to remember where every bottle is, and just what vintages you have in your collection. There are many software programs and even entire computer systems available that can help manage your wine collections. You can create a database of wines you own, and would like to own in the future. You can map where each bottle is in your wine cellar. You can even keep tasting notes and wine auction information all in one place. These programs are a must for the serious collector. They’ll help you keep your collection manageable and organized no matter how large it grows.

Q: What is a bottling method that will help me quickly locate bottles?

A: Labeling systems vary in wine room storage. Bottle tags can help keep track of what is stored in your wine room. You cannot always tell what flavor a wine is by quickly glancing at the label or the bottle. Bottle tags come in a variety of colors and can be hung around the neck of the wine. Write on it in permanent ink to prevent anything from making it unreadable. Tagging every bottle in your collection can help you to locate the bottle you are looking for quickly and efficiently and without disturbing your entire collection.

Q: What is a wine management system?

A: This machine is similar to what is used in restaurants but many retailers now offer it for home wine cellars as well using the same design. The system is installed in your wine cellar and set up for you to enter each bottle of wine as you store it. It keeps a running inventory of all of the bottles stored in your wine cellar and enables you to properly manage your collection with a simple, easy-to-use touch-screen. A wine management system allows you the opportunity to use technological means to be aware of exactly where bottles are stored, how many brands and flavors of wine you have in stock, which bottles have been used and which ones need to be re-stocked.

Q: What is a wine cellar book?

A: Another option is to invest in a paper bookkeeping system, in addition to the aforementioned computerized option. Organize your wine, either by size, label, rate of maturity, or another system of your choice. Record your organizational methods into a “cellar book.” A cellar book will enable you to find a label without having to search exhaustively. This system allows you to track all of the wine that comes in and out of your wine cellar. Your cellar book should include a diagram of your wine cellar with descriptions of each wine and the rack on which it is stored, so you can better keep track of all of your labels and various rates of development.

[caption id="attachment_744" align="alignleft" width="359" caption="Wines are stored properly at a horizontal angle to keep the corks moist."][/caption]

Proper wine storage is essential for keeping your wine at its best and from aging prematurely. Below are some things you should know about proper wine storage:

1. The best temperature for storing wine is a constant 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid dramatic fluctuations in temperature.

2. Wine is disturbed by vibration. This can loosen the wine’s cork and allow air to enter the bottle and destroy the wine.

3. Wine should be stored in the dark because UV light causes the wine’s proteins to deteriorate.

4. Store wine horizontally to avoid the wine cork from drying out. A dry cork shrinks slightly, allowing air to enter the wine bottle.

5. Humidity around 70 percent is ideal for storing wines with cork closures. This keeps the cork moist and prevents air from seeping into the wine bottle.

View our great selection of wine racks available in pine and mahogany in Classic or Estate height. For more wine storage information and tips, visit our Residential Wine Storage Education Center.

Some examples of wine cellar furniture include:

Wine Cellar Tables – These free-standing wooden tables store wine beneath a wooden, glass or stone counter. Wine tables may be bar table height or the height of a standard kitchen counter. Some may also have drawers to store wine openers, corks and other accessories.

Wine Cellar Stools – Wine cellar stools don’t take up a lot of room or interfere with the sight lines around the cellar as a high-back chair would do. Choose the wood to match your cabinets and decide between leather and fabric for upholstery.

Wine cellar furniture comes in a variety of styles, ranging from Italian designs to rustic, barrel-shaped pieces.

There are several different kinds of wine cooling systems. Here are three main types and how they work.

Through-wall
A through-wall system is installed through the wall of the wine cellar to release exhaust into another room. The bordering room has to be air conditioned to dispel the heat that the wine cellar cooling system exhaust gives off.

Ductless Split
A ductless split unit is similar to a through-wall system, but there is one difference. In a ductless split system, an evaporator coil is installed in the room with a split refrigeration unit, while a condenser is positioned in an adjacent room or outside the home. This type of system also requires a drain to collect surplus condensation and works best with a humidifier to control the humidity level.

Ducted System
The ducted system is the most comprehensive kind of wine cellar cooling system available. This system can be installed through-wall or remotely and be completely ducted into and out from the wine cellar and the room where it’s placed.

When deciding on a wine cellar cooling system, consider a system’s efficiency first and overall appearance second. The best looking system may not be suitable for your particular space. When in doubt about which system is right for you, consult an expert like a member of the Vigilant Woodworks sales team who can go over the features and benefits of each system. Vigilant Woodworks offers several different wine cooling systems from the most reputable companies on the market.

[caption id="attachment_664" align="alignleft" width="266" caption="A wine refrigerator can be added to a wine cellar to store white wines."][/caption]

Maintaining a constant, cool temperature is the best way to preserve your wine collection. After all, wine is an investment and certain conditions are needed to keep it that way.

Temperatures over 70 degrees Fahrenheit should be avoided, as that will age wine too rapidly. If heat is trapped in your wine storage area or wine cellar, it can have an effect on the taste of the wine. Also stay away from drastic changes in temperature. The rapid change from heat to air conditioning will force a wine cork outwards, allowing air to enter the bottle (air permits wine to oxidize). A little air, at the proper time, is good—as when letting a wine breathe before consuming it. Long-term exposure destroys the fruit flavors in a wine and gives it a brownish color. 

If you have a single rack or wine tower in your kitchen, dining room or living room, make sure that it sits away from the heating vents and air conditioner units. When storing wine in any kind of kitchen racks, keep wine bottles as far away as possible from heat sources and cooking units.

If you have, or are planning, a self-contained home wine cellar, consider temperature control for your cellar. Some sites are better suited for wine storage than others, such as a cool, dark basement, or space beneath a stairway. Others will need the help of a temperature control system to make sure wine is stored properly.

There are a few steps you should take before installing a wine cellar cooling unit. The cellar’s interior walls should be covered in R-11 minimum insulation, while the exterior ones should be covered in R-19 minimum insulation. The walls and floors should have vapor barriers. For walls, vapor barriers are made of polyethylene plastic sheeting and should be installed on the warm side of the wall to gather any condensation that forms from the wine cellar cooling unit. For flooring, concrete only require a vapor barrier with a concrete sealant, while other types may require R-19 insulation to protect against condensation.