Having a wine cellar is every wine lover’s dream come true. It can be kind of confusing, however when you are trying to find out what exactly you need to have in your cellar, and what are the things that you can simply do without. You do not have to worry too much, however, because here you will discover all of the things you are going to need in your cellar if you are a wine collecting enthusiast.

1- An Aerator

An aerator is a tool used to aerate your favorite alcoholic drink or let it breathe until you are ready to drink it. You might be wondering why you would need such a tool when you can easily open the bottle and it’s going to be exposed to air and therefore aerated. Well, an aerator exposes the wine to more air than it ever would be exposed to through the regular opening and pouring process. It is a tool that all enthusiasts need to have.

2- A Cooler

One of the essentials that any cellar owner needs to have is a good cooler to keep various types of aged wine in perfect condition. A cooler is also going to be very helpful when you want to store champagne since it cannot really be stored on shelves or racks. There are various sizes of coolers used for storing wine, so you can choose which works for you depending on the space of your cellar as well as how many vintage bottles you want to keep in it. A cooler can also be helpful if you are not planning on finishing an entire bottle in one sitting. You can easily find different coolers’ specifications and guides on how to choose the best one for your specific requirements.

3- Enough Storage Areas

Any cellar has to have enough storage area to store the bottles that you already have, as well as space so that you can add new ones to your collection in the future. Storage space can come in the form of shelves and racks. You can also use a different space that is normally wasted or overlooked for unconventional storage, such as a hanging storage area. if you have a bar area in your cellar, so that you can pour wine during a tasting or when friends are over, then you will also need some storage space for any barware that you will have around.

4- Lounging and Tasting Areas

If your cellar is big enough, you can include an area to have a tasting or a vino party with friends over. A lounging area could simply include a couple of comfortable and high-quality chairs and a small table that you can use to place your glasses and bottle during a tasting. This is optional, but if you are a certified enthusiast and have a large room dedicated to your cellar, then you can find some room to have a seating arrangement for when you want to spend some time there.

5- High-Quality Barware

This is an obvious addition to your cellar. Especially if you decide to install a seating arrangement as mentioned above. You will need some glasses and a good bottle opener as a start. You can easily find different wine barware and accessories that you can add to your cellar to make it extra fancy, and you can also hint to your friends that you would like accessories as gifts for any upcoming birthdays or holidays.

6- Humidity and Temperature Regulators

Wine needs to be stored in very specific conditions if you do not want it to get ruined over the years. The humidity in your cellar needs to be relatively high, and the ideal temperature to store your bottles perfectly is 15 to 17 degrees Celsius. This requires you to install a temperature and humidity regulator. Just remember that you cannot have a carpet installed if you do have a high humidity setting in your cellar because it will grow mildew. Wood or vinyl flooring is much more preferable.

7- Dim or Adjustable lighting System

While it is understandable that you will want to see the room when you are moving around so that you do not accidentally bump into your shelves and have a mess on your hands, lights that are too bright can ruin your vino. To avoid any hassle, you can simply have adjustable lighting installed in your cellar so that you are able to see while you are there, but otherwise, the lighting is minimal and does not cause either a change in temperature because of emitted heat or too much brightness for prolonged periods of time.

8- Insulation

This is a very helpful aspect you can add to your cellar if you are an enthusiast. As mentioned above, bottles need to be stored at a certain temperature and high humidity. If you do not have proper insulation installed, then you will be using up a lot of energy to have your cellar remain at a constant temperature and humidity setting. This is because when you do not have insulation, the cool air seeps into the outside and your cellar’s temperature rises again to room temperature. Insulation also ensures that your cellar is safe from any kind of mold or mildew that could grow because of the high humidity.

If you have a passion for anything related to wine, then you know how much work goes into it. This is why it’s so important to have knowledge of what makes a complete and highly functioning cellar. Having these eight different items or additions in your cellar is going to ensure that it is the perfect place to store your beloved vino. These items will of course differ in size and quality depending on different factors such as the space you have to work with, your budget, and the climate of the place you live in. Adding these items to your cellar is going to make your wine last for a very long time in very good condition.

Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

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