As long as you follow a few basic rules, you can keep a small
collection almost anywhere. Along with the passage of time, wine
ages - and can be ruined - due to light, air, and extreme
temperature, so these are the elements you need to control.
1. Keep your wine out of sunlight.
2. Store it somewhere that's not very hot or cold; keep it
where the temperature is consistent.
3. Keep it out of closets with strong smells that could
permeate the cork, such as
food, cleaning supplies, paints, and
garden chemicals - unless those are your favorite flavors. For
these reasons, garages and kitchens are big no-nos. And another
thing, always store your wine on its side so the cork stays moist
and no oxygen gets in to ruin the wine. Oxidized wines - both white
and red - turn brown and taste like sherry.
THE CELLAR
As your passion increases, you may decide you need a serious
storage space. Consider converting a part of a basement, pantry,
extra bedroom, or walk-in closet. Keep the space at about 49 to 55
degrees Fahrenheit, with a relative humidity between 60 to 80
percent. This isn't as hard as it sounds, especially with kits,
books, and professional help available - most notably Richard M.
Gold's How and Why to Build a Wine Cellar. If that sounds like too
much work, or you don't have the space, you can purchase a
freestanding unit. These range from the size of an
under-the-counter refrigerator (starting at around $380) to a
prefab walk-in wine room (with prices up to $6,000).
A good rule of thumb, no matter what type of cellar you opt for:
Buy twice as much space as you think you need. You'll be surprised
how fast it fills up as your habit grows. A national catalog with a
superb selection of cellars - and good prices - is International
Wine Accessories, where you can find options for the
do-it-yourselfer alongside plug-it-in-and-go models. Call (800)
527-4072 for an issue.