Wine has undoubtedly been a central part of life for many cultures and societies for centuries. Whether or not you've tried wine, or if you consider yourself a connoisseur, having a proper place to store wine in your home will offer more benefits than buying one or two bottles at a time for gatherings and dinner parties.
Most homeowners assume that proper wine storage will mean expensive construction and installation costs, but this is definitely not true! Wine storage is one of the objects that you won't find a use for until you have it. With the options available today, including handmade wine racks and electric wine cellars in the convenience of your kitchen, we promise that you can find something to fit your needs and your budget. Below we have listed six great options for you to consider for proper wine storage in your home, and even for those of you with small budgets, or small apartments, you will find something great – we promise!
The most classic option for wine storage is a proper, under-earth wine cellar. This will be the most expensive option on this list, requiring construction and installation costs by professionals. The great part is that if your home is already equipped with a basement or cellar area, no matter how small and how old, you can easily change the space into a wine cellar.
For professional wine collectors and connoisseurs, we suggest that you keep a consistent temperature of 12 degrees in your wine cellar. This is especially important for the majority of red wines, to keep their robust flavours. However, keeping a consistent temperature in a cellar or basement can be hard, and if you don't have an affordable way to keep it that way, it's OK! As long as wine is kept in a cool, dark place, it will last and the flavours will continue to develop.
For a great example of a wine room/cellar, check out this example in Oberbayern!
As wine is becoming more and more affordable and available to the masses – the appreciation for wine and all it has to offer is becoming more popular. No longer is a wine rack or a wine cellar enough for some designers and homeowners – they now want a proper place to host wine tastings and dinner parties. Creating a specific room to enjoy your wine can be an expensive endeavor, so if your collection has amassed to a surprising level and you often wish you had a room dedicated to its existence – give a modern wine room a try!
For best results, combine your wine room with your cellar for easy accessibility and for a strict budget, rather than creating two rooms. This is also a great idea for those of you with a spare room and a large wine collection – put that spare room to good use! As you can see in this example, the designer chose to surround the space with wine racks featuring an assortment of wines, and has placed a table and chairs at the center of the room for the easiest accessibility. A wine room does not need decor to look great – think about a stylish table and chairs and some industrial-style lighting like seen here and we promise the room will be a hit with your guests!
Check out this other example of a great wine room!
If you're short on space but still love and enjoy your wine collection, consider an electric wine cellar in your kitchen! Electric wine cellars are a great way to keep at least 12-20 bottles of wine fresh and ready at all times and at a consistent temperature, without the hassle of a wine cellar or individual room.
Electric wine cellars were once viewed as an investment that only larger homes and kitchens could afford – that has all changed now! There are plenty of electric wine cellars that are affordable and can match almost any style of kitchen or home – like the example seen here where the electric cellar seamlessly blends into the rest of the stainless-steel, modern kitchen appliances.
Want to conveniently combine your dry red wine with your chilled-whites? Take a look at this electric wine cellar/wine rack combination!
If you tend to keep several bottles of wine at a time, but not enough to warrant the construction, installation and dedication of a wine room or wine cellar, then consider fun and unique ways to store your wine for all to see!
This wine rack is incredibly versatile and modern and can hold up to 24 bottles of wine with a set of four racks. To find options like this, speak to local wine professionals, industrial designers and artists and get some ideas flowing. Of course, a personalized wine rack can be a fun DIY weekend project, however, it should be first and foremost constructed properly and with the correct measurements as to not lose any good bottles of wine in the process! For a super minimalist look – try the above design in wood or painted all black!
Don't have a proper cellar or basement? That's ok! Try the most traditional option of placing a wine rack directly in your kitchen. Of course, this won't come with the high-end appliances and temperature controls that an electric wine cellar or under-earth cellar offers, but no need to worry, wine is one of the most non-delicate, delicate products in the world!
We do suggest that you place your kitchen wine rack in a dark, cool and dry place for the best results. For example, don't place a wine rack near an oven, stove or dishwasher as the heat and steam from these items will force the temperature and body of the wine to fluctuate more than it should!
Lastly, if you want a decorative, beautiful and temporary fix to your wine storage – consider decanters! Decanters are a beautifully designed object that have existed for centuries! Even the ancient Greeks and Romans had pottery artists that dedicated their lives to proper wine decanters and containers!
We suggest heading to your local second-hand, vintage or antique stores to grab decanters that are authentic and affordable. Make sure before guests arrive that you've properly cleaned and dried your decanters, and pour your red wine into the decanters right before guests arrive and dispose of the bottle for a classic mid-century look! We also suggest that you keep white wines out of decanters as the aeration will make them taste rather flat before dinner time!
For more ways to prepare for dinner party guests, check out these luxurious dining room ideas to impress!