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Choosing the storage solution - wine shelves, a wine refrigerator or a wine room/cellar depends upon the level of importance you ascribe to the preservation of wine quality, considerations concerning the area of storage, the number of bottles and, naturally, the budget you have.
It suffices to take a look at the numerous cooking TV shows and cook books in book stores in order to realize that we are in the midst of a new culinary era.
In this framework we became familiar with the world of wine. If wine culture was practiced in the past by a small group of connoisseurs, we may say that today wine culture is part of the wider public. Wine tasting encounters including lectures, winery tours in Israel and around the world, boutique wineries that are established, quality wines, wine stores, wine sites as well as all the information provided the media create a wine culture that is available for an increasing number of people who enjoy a glass of wine during their meals.
When you arrive for dinner, you bring a bottle of wine. If you invite friends over for dinner, you take care that an appropriate bottle of wine is found on the table. In that manner numerous bottles of wine, in need of proper storage, accumulate around the house, when the method of storage corresponds directly to the level of comprehension and/or interest in red or white wines. Kitchen companies nowadays, include wine refrigerators installed among kitchen cabinets for the purpose of storing wine bottles since a hot and steamy room such as a kitchen does not provide the conditions required to preserve the quality of wine in the long run, namely, a dark environment with a humidity level running between 60-70 percent, and a fixed temperature ranging between 12-18 degrees Celsius.
The words "wine cellar" might evoke a sense of pompousness as if wine cellars are built by people of wealth. Let us be clear: a wine cellar might be one of the rooms in an apartment that was designated for that purpose.
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These refrigerators are equipped with a climate control system that includes a refrigeration unit aimed at maintaining a fixed, required temperature and a condensate unit designated to maintain fixed humidity levels. Wine refrigerators come in a variety of designs and a variety of models (sealed door, glass door with U.V. resistance) that enable to place them in each part of the house so that they correspond to the general style and furniture of the house and the variety of sizes also enables placing a small wine refrigerator in an empty corner in the house. Finishes vary and include stainless steel that fits well in modern hi-tech kitchens and, alternatively, wine refrigerators that appear like a piece of furniture for all intents and purposes, with full wood finish that may lend an additional touch to the living room. The storage capacity of wine refrigerators ranges between 30 to 500 bottles with varied internal accessories that may include wooden or metal shelves with quality epoxy finish in addition to fixed or removable shelves.
Similar to any other household system whose installation requires proper conditions, it is preferable that during the stage of architectural planning, the placement and installation of wine rooms/cellars is taken into account even though a room in an already existing apartment/house can be designated to function as an appropriate environment for wine storage. Planning is executed according to a program so that it addresses optimally all requirements such as the amount of bottles for storage, types of bottles, and so on. Wine collectors, for example, tend to divide storage space into zones according to the rarity and value of the bottles they own.
Wine was stored in underground cellars for a good reason since underground areas provide naturally the optimal preservation conditions - coolness, darkness and humidity. Even today, the best place for wine storage in a private house is in a lower floor. In apartments that do not have designated rooms for that purpose, the room designated as a protected space might be used for that purpose or a pantry room or any other available area in the apartment. In any event, it is preferable and recommended that the room will be located as far as possible from noisy areas that can generate vibrations that shake the wine stored in the bottle thus damaging its quality. This fact, by the way, is scientifically unsubstantiated.
The most important factor concerning wine rooms and wine cellars is sealing and proofing the area so as to maintain steady temperature and humidity conditions and to prevent the formation of dampness in adjoining areas. Sealing can be done using a number of methods: for example, building an additional wall made from waterproof materials while leaving an air pocket of 1cm between the wall and the existing wall, when every finish can be applied to the "wall" that is built such as gypsum or other.
Another method of sealing involves the application of polyurethane on an existing wall, covering with cement and plaster panels and applying the desired finish. In the event that there is a window in the area it may also be sealed so as to prevent the entry of light and air. The door too should be made from insulation materials.
This system is usually installed in the wall similar to an air conditioning unit and includes a refrigeration system that provides slow and constant cooling in conjunction with a condensate unit that generates humidity. In addition, a thermometer should be installed in the area in order to monitor temperatures in the room.
Lighting should be soft and not project directly on the bottle while enabling orientation at the same time; preferable lighting fixtures include lighting spots or recessed lighting.
The choice of materials from which wine shelves are made depends upon the design of the storage area, yet in any event they should comply with the humidity conditions in the area. For that purpose, built concrete shelves and wooden shelves are appropriate. In the event that wooden shelves are chosen special attention should be given to choosing the appropriate type of wood so that it is resistant and does not absorb humidity or emit unpleasant odors. The most recommended wood for that purpose is the red California wood. Shelves can be installed in different designs and differing heights throughout the height of the ceiling or leave a free upper or lower area in order to place wine crates.
The choice of floor type depends on the design that was chosen and may be done with wooden beams, absorbing tiles or "regular" flooring tiles with good absorptive properties. Other interesting options include using small pebbles that also provide protection against falling bottles in addition to their absorbing qualities.
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