Choosing What Wines to Include in Your Wine Collection
Written by Holly Peters - Custom Wine Cellars Vancouver
The ideal place to keep wines, regardless of type, is in a residential custom wine cellar. Wine cellars in Vancouver, Canada can provide the essential factors that wines need to be kept safe.
Here are the three essential factors for proper wine storage:
1. Ideal Temperature.
Your wine collection needs to be stored in the ideal temperature. Although there are varying opinions on what the exact best temperature is for proper wine storage, most wine experts agree that approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit is a good base point for red wines, while white wines can be stored at a slightly cooler temperature.
It is important to remember that the storage temperature should be prevented from fluctuating. A consistent temperature level is vital to avoiding damaging your wines. Moreover, exposure to heat can speed up the aging process and damage your wines.
2. Ideal Humidity.
Like temperature, humidity is also very important in wine storage. The humidity in your home custom wine cellar in Vancouver, Canada should be maintained within a range of 55 to 85 percent.
Wine corks play a very important role in protecting wine. Corks block out air and oxygen, which can damage wine when exposed. Many wine makers today still use natural corks to seal their wine bottles. When humidity is lower than the ideal level, these natural wine corks dry out and shrink. Consequently, air and oxygen can start to enter the wine bottles and damage the wines.
When the humidity is too high, your wine labels are in danger of being ruined. Mold and mildew might also form and contaminate your wines.
3. Avoid Light Exposure
Ultraviolet light is one of the worst enemies of wine. Wine should be protected from direct exposure to sunlight. Even fluorescent lighting has a negative effect on the flavor of wine. This is the very reason why wine bottles are generally dark in color: to protect wine from light exposure. Moreover, wine experts strongly advise the use of LED lights in your custom wine cellar in Canada. These lights are not harmful to wine, and consume a minimal amount of energy. Although they are more expensive than fluorescent lights, you will save more in the long run.
The Ideal Wine Storage Solution
There are many wine storage solutions, but the best place to store your wine collection is in a residential wine cellar. There are many competent wine cellar designers and builders in Vancouver, Canada. Find one that will not only make your home wine cellar functional and durable, but also beautiful.
Blue Grouse Wine Cellars is one of the best wine cellar designers and builders in Canada. Consult their wine cellar experts, and they can provide you with a free 3D drawing of your desired residential custom wine cellar design. For more information about their products and services, contact them at +1 (888) 400-CORK (2675).