Arrangement of wine cellars - microclimate, racks, equipment. Wine cellar in the house with their own hands

A wine cellar is an obligatory attribute of the personal plot of any self-respecting winemaker. The need to store wine in a specially designated room is determined by strict requirements for air humidity, temperature and lighting levels, compliance with which allows you to get a really high-quality aged product.

In this article we will tell you how to make a wine cellar with your own hands. Construction technology, design and finishing options will be presented, as well as an overview of equipment to maintain the required microclimate inside the cellar.

1 Building a cellar for wine - step by step instructions

A wine cellar can be built on the basis of an existing basement or built completely from scratch. The latter option, if there is free space on the site and a sufficient budget, is preferable, since you will get not just a separate room for storing barrels and bottles, but a full-fledged room where you can equip a cozy recreation area, spend time and receive guests.

When choosing a place for a cellar, give preference to the highest points of the infield, so you will simplify your life in the future, having lost the need to deal with groundwater. The dimensions of the cellar are selected based on the volume of stored wine and the features of the use of the premises in the future - will it be just a warehouse or is it planned to equip a relax zone? It is rational to take 2 meters for the minimum ceiling height, which will allow you to walk freely inside the cellar.

The construction of a wine cellar consists of the following steps:

1. Preparatory work and excavation.
2. Installation of the foundation and pouring the screed.
3. Wall laying and ceiling installation.
4. Thermal insulation and waterproofing of the room.
5. Finishing work, installation of ventilation and air conditioning equipment.

To develop a pit, you will need to attract an excavator or tractor, since manually digging such a size is not rational. The depth of the pit should be 20 cm more than the height of the cellar walls, which will be required to fill the sealing layer.

After the development of the pit at its bottom, it is necessary to pour a reinforced concrete slab, which will serve as the foundation and floor of the cellar. Work begins with backfilling a layer of sand 10 cm thick at the bottom, it is compacted and covered with geotextile, on top of which a layer of crushed stone of the same thickness is poured. Next, a formwork of planed boards is installed, it should be 20-30 cm away from the walls of the pit. The formwork is fixed with spacers and stakes, then a reinforcing cage (cells 20 * 20 cm) is assembled in it by welding from reinforcement bars 12 mm. The frame must have two belts - upper and lower, connected by vertical jumpers. The last stage is the concreting of the foundation with ready-mixed concrete grade M400. The formwork can be dismantled a week after the slab has been poured.

Next, work begins on the laying of the walls of the cellar. Walls are easiest to make from FBS blocks, but ordinary bricks can also be used. Masonry is carried out in the standard way, with dressing in the floor of the block on a layer of cement 1 cm thick, it is not necessary to reinforce the walls from FBS.

The last stage in the construction of the “box” of the cellar is the installation of the floor slab. This will also require the involvement of special equipment - a truck crane. You don’t have to do anything with your own hands, the crane operator will do everything. Keep in mind that the maximum length of reinforced concrete floor slabs is 12 m, so the dimensions of the cellar must be designed in accordance with these dimensions.

After laying the floor slab, the free space between the outer plane of the walls and the ground must be covered with clay. By compacting the clay well, you will form a barrier that will prevent groundwater from reaching the walls of the cellar.

1.1 Insulation work, interior planning

Since wine cellars are subject to strict requirements for the internal microclimate, you will need to make good insulation of the room. This will require comprehensive heat and waterproofing of walls and roofs, which will ensure that there are no problems with dampness, mold and fungus.

As a heater, it is best to use extruded polystyrene foam, to protect against moisture - penetrating waterproofing. It must be applied in two layers with a roller. A well-established composition is Penetron, the material is supplied in powder, which must be diluted in water before use according to the instructions.

Next, a heater is fixed on the surface of the walls and ceiling. The easiest way to fix polystyrene panels is by gluing, but this option is only suitable if the wine cellar finish does not include the use of sheathing materials. You can glue the insulation with further plastering of the walls, but if you plan to finish the walls with wood, clapboard or panels, then you will need to build a frame from a bar and place the insulation inside the cells of the crate. With this approach, the decorative trim is attached over the constructed frame.

The design of the wine cellar, as a rule, is made out with an emphasis on the use of natural materials - wood and stone. However, keep in mind that coniferous wood species cannot be used for interior decoration, as they have a characteristic odor, which may affect the quality of the stored product. It is best to use oak - this is a traditional option used by winemakers for many generations.

Most of your cellar will be occupied by racks and racks for bottles of wine, they largely determine the impression of the interior of the room. However, shelving should be not only beautiful, but also practical. It is better to entrust their manufacture to a professional, or buy ready-made designs. The best option is shelves in the form of pyramids, they are quite roomy - bottles can be stacked on top of each other. Shelves with individual cells for each bottle look more impressive, but they also take up more space.

You can decorate the interior with spot lighting, represented by antique lamps. Also, furniture for the wine cellar will not be superfluous - a pair of armchairs or stools, if there is enough free space, you can install a tasting rack.

1.2 DIY wine cellar (video)

2 Requirements for the microclimate and the choice of split systems

Any winemaker knows that wine storage technology provides for strict requirements for temperature and air humidity, in case of non-compliance with which the product may lose its original taste. That is why the wine cellar must not only be isolated from the environment, but also equipped with special air conditioning equipment that will maintain the required indoor climate.

The temperature inside the cellar should be kept within 13-15 degrees. Its decrease is fraught with cooling of the wine and slowing down its maturation, and its increase may affect the taste of the product, as the drink loses its characteristics when heated.

The optimum level of air humidity in a home wine cellar is from 60 to 60%. If the humidity is lower, then due to the drying of the cork stoppers, the wine will oxidize, if it is higher, mold will form in the room.

As air conditioning equipment, it is necessary to use special split systems for wine cellars, the main manufacturer of which in the world market is Airwell. Such split systems are high-precision equipment, they are able to maintain a given temperature with fluctuations of less than 0.5 degrees and humidity from 2.5%.

When choosing a split system, it is necessary to be guided by the size of the room, the cooling of which will be performed. The Airwell company in the technical characteristics of its equipment indicate what volume this or that air conditioner is designed for. Most often, models for individual use are designed for rooms with a volume of 25, 48, 82 and 122 m 3.

The optimal option in terms of price / functionality ratio is the Airwell FWDe split system series. This is a cooling equipment with a capacity of 3.5-7 kW (depending on the model), which can lower the temperature in cellars up to 82 m 2 to 12 degrees.

The Airwell FWDe line includes 3 models - FWDe-12, FWDe-18 and FWDE-24, which differ in performance, power consumption and air consumption. All of them correspond to energy efficiency class A and can operate at ambient temperatures from -10 to +46 degrees. The cost of Airwell FWDe split systems varies between 40-100 thousand rubles.

Daikin general purpose split systems can be considered as a more affordable alternative to specialized equipment. Such an air conditioner for a wine cellar will cost you an order of magnitude cheaper, but there will be no significant differences in the functionality of the equipment. Models tested are Daikin FTYN25, Daikin FTXB60 and Daikin FTXN25.

Among connoisseurs of wine, it is believed that this drink is similar to an ordinary person. He is born, grows younger, becomes mature, and then grows old and dies. In order for wine to linger longer in the world, there is such a thing as wine. After all, in the cool, not only the human body is better preserved. Well, for people who have their own house with a plot of land and grow grapes there to make homemade wine, God himself ordered to start a wine cellar.

Of course, the creation of this “repository of joy” can be entrusted to construction professionals, but if you have basic construction and repair skills, you can build such a room yourself.

Basic requirements for creating a wine storage

Creating a wine storage is a serious business. When building this cellar, many important factors should be taken into account and several rules should be followed, the slightest deviation from which will lead to completely undesirable consequences and problems. Let's try to identify these requirements and rules:

Creating a home wine cellar

Of course, wine is a capricious drink. It loves a special microclimate and does not tolerate external influences, while spoiling and losing the desired aroma. That is why everyone needs a wine storage - not only aesthetes who collect expensive samples of the “intellectual drink”, but also ordinary summer residents who make wine with their own hands. Building a wine cellar on your own site is a simple and inexpensive matter, especially if the work is done on your own.
The first step is to decide on the place where the future wine storage will be located. For this, any part of the basement or garage is suitable. It all depends on the planned scale of construction. It would be nice to make a small drawing with a floor plan before starting work: calculate the dimensions of the future cellar and calculate how much building and finishing materials it will take.
After the design work, we proceed to the creation of the premises. You have to start from the foundation. A pit is dug, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich may vary depending on the intended size of the cellar, and the depth should be at least 3 m. The bottom of this pit must be well tamped and covered with sand, forming about 20 cm of a pillow. Around the pit is mandatory drainage. The walls of the cellar are best sheathed with wooden material, and covered with asbestos on top. After that, the floor is concreted and a formwork is created for pouring the walls of the wine storage. Although if there is no desire to concrete the walls, they can be laid out with bricks. The finish is impregnated with an antiseptic, and this should be done with high quality, since the cellar space should be as protected from mold as possible.
After the above works, as a rule, devices are installed that control the climate of the room. Conducted, equipment is installed in a pre-selected corner of the room. Specialized stores sell a variety of air conditioners and climate controllers, differing in price and quality. Their choice depends on the preferences and financial capabilities of the owner.
The main thing is not to purchase a system that is too bulky for a small cellar. Here you should consult with the seller, describe the size of the wine storage, so that the best option is offered to its owner.
For finishing, natural, natural materials should be used. Suitable wood, brick, ceramic or stone. They can also be combined at the discretion of the owner. The main thing is that the putty, mastic or glue used in the finishing does not exude a strong odor. Remember that unnecessary pungent odors kill the wine aroma.

Wine cellar shelving

Shelves and racks for wine cellars are rarely bought ready-made. After all, they are quite easy to do with your own hands without the involvement of specialists or spending large sums of money. Wine cellar shelves are usually made of wood, metal or stone.

Racks can be made either on the entire wall of the basement, or arranged in sections. Their height can reach 2 m, the depth depends on the size of the bottles in which the wine will be stored. The length of the sections should be about 70 cm, longer lengths can lead to unwanted deflections.
A fairly popular material for creating shelving is wood. Firstly, any summer resident on the farm has a certain amount of good boards left over from the previous construction. Secondly, even if this material is not available on the farm, its purchase will not be too expensive. The creation of sectional racks will facilitate the work of drying the cellar, because they can be quite easily disassembled, taken out into the sun, and then mounted again.
Wood racks are easy to make. The load-bearing shelves are tied with crossbars and placed in pre-prepared places. They are connected with several nails, one at a time in a separate bayonet. The shelves are sawn to equal lengths and mounted in place with nails. For greater durability, a wooden structure can be doused with water. Nails at the same time become rusty and sit more firmly in the wood.

After carrying out the above work, the tree should be treated with a composition that protects it from. But do not forget when choosing such an impregnation that it should not have a smell.
Wooden racks can be reinforced with concrete for better stability. It's easy to do. Several wooden blocks are stuffed along the entire length of the board. A concrete mixture is poured between them. In this case, the shelves can be reinforced to improve operation. Wooden structures should be installed on ready-made racks.
Wine storage racks made from steel angles are preferred over wood in terms of durability and less susceptibility to rot and mold. Making them is also easy. First, a blank is made for the rack and crossbar. As in the case of wooden racks, the height of the racks made of steel corners should not exceed 2 m. The racks are marked for shelves, after which beams are welded between them at the same level. Then boards or sheets of asbestos cement are mounted on the transverse corners.
The whole structure is attached to the cellar wall and interconnected by bolts or welding of fasteners. In the end, this design must be varnished, which does not spread a strong smell.
Of course, racks made of brick and reinforced concrete are considered ideal for wine storage. They have the necessary strength and withstand serious weight. In addition, such structures are durable and give the cellar an appropriate entourage.
The construction of brick shelving should begin with the creation of a reinforced one with cells. Shelves are made of fine-grained concrete up to 5 cm thick. A reinforcing mesh is applied to the upper part of the shelves. After creating the shelves, they are attached to the racks. In this case, a formwork having a tiled shape is used. Shelves should be installed on steel plates mounted in the wall. The plates are reinforced with cement mortar.

Wine cellar: design

If you have free funds, you can do a beautiful design of a wine cellar in some medieval European style. For example, in the old days in large wine storages containing a large number of wine barrels, the flooring was made from gravel. This was done so that drops of condensate falling from the ceiling seeped below the floor and did not create puddles. Nowadays, wine cellar designers also use some kind of bulk material to cover the floor, thus paying tribute to tradition.
For a beautiful design of wine, you can apply several design techniques.
First, you should pay attention to the lighting of the wine storage. The wine must be in complete darkness, so the cellars are equipped with electric light for it. This can be used to decorate the room. The vault is equipped with medieval-style designer lamps with subdued lighting to create mystery.

Secondly, you can work on the look of the racks and shelves of the wine cellar. The racks look quite interesting, on which each wine vessel has a specific place. You can also create in the form of pyramids. Wine vessels in such racks are located on top of each other. A separate triangular compartment must contain a specific category of wine.
Also, as an option, you can put a small table and several small antique-styled seats in the wine cellar. In such a corner, you can enjoy tasting "wine nectar" and hold some secret negotiations that require privacy.

Wine cellar furniture

Wine cellar furniture, as a rule, are unusual wooden cabinets. Such an environment is created from massive, natural wooden material. This helps to avoid damaging vibration when storing wine. Oak and ash are considered traditional tree species that are used in the manufacture of wine furniture. Elements of the situation for a wine cellar are:

• racks on which wine vessels are stored;
• wine storage cabinet;
• bar counter;
• tables or chairs;
• solid beams;
• Wall panels.

The quality of furniture and the material used in its manufacture depends on the financial capabilities of the customer. You can order the furnishings for the cellar, on the surface of which the pattern left by the woodworm will be imitated. It looks pretty colorful. As a rule, wooden furniture is impregnated with linseed oil or a liquid with a wax base. This treatment protects the environment from moisture and emphasizes the wooden structure. for a wine cellar, it is better to make to order, this makes it possible to discuss with the contractor all the nuances of the product and get exactly what you want in the end.

Wine cellar air conditioners

Without well-equipped ventilation, you can forget about the normal storage of wine. Now in the wine cellar air conditioner market there are several leading companies from France who are engaged in the creation of devices designed to maintain a special climate in wine storage.
The installation of such equipment will allow maintaining a certain temperature regime and the desired climate in the room. The inverter system keeps the temperature difference to a minimum. As a rule, for a wine cellar they consist of two blocks. One is taken out to the street, the second is mounted in the cellar wall or on the ceiling. The compressor is built into the unit located outside. It constantly vibrates and makes noise, so it should be located away from the wine storage. There are units with reduced noise and vibration levels, but they are much more expensive.

Mounting a wine conditioner should not be done alone. To do this, be sure to invite specialists who will tell you where it is best to install the device. They will do it competently, eliminating many of the errors that occur during independent, non-professional installation.

Perhaps the installation of an air conditioner and the creation of wine cabinets are the only two elements in creating a wine cellar that cannot be done without professional help. All other works can be easily done with your own hands, so that later you can proudly tell visitors that not only the wine was created independently, but also its storage is the owner’s personal creation.

Video on how to make a wine cellar with your own hands from simple materials:

Video about the wine cellar made of natural stone:

A wine cellar is probably what every suburban homeowner would like to have. When arranging this unusual room, two main parameters should be taken into account - humidity and temperature. Interestingly, the temperature, among other things, should vary depending on the type of wine stored. Proper insulation will help maintain the correct humidity and temperature conditions.

Today, there are a large number of all kinds of equipment for a wine cellar on the market, so there are usually no problems with the arrangement. For example, it can be installed: special split system, racks for wine bottles, spiral type of shelves, etc.

Temperature

Experts note that in the wine cellar it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature at a level of 13-15 degrees. If the room is at least a little colder, then the maturation of the wine will be noticeably delayed. On the other hand, if the temperature, on the contrary, increases, then the drink will lose its taste characteristics, and will also lose its characteristic features. Collectors also claim that different types of wine should be stored in different rooms.

The microclimate is the most important condition for the storage of wine.

In addition, it is worth installing air conditioners for wine cellars, which will eliminate sudden temperature changes, which also negatively affect the characteristics of the wine.

Like any other equipment for a wine cellar, a split system must be powered by an independent power source, because no one is immune from an unexpected power outage.

Humidity

The wine cellar should not be too damp. The optimal humidity level for the room is 60-70%. At higher levels, mold will begin to form, and the wine will oxidize due to excessive drying of the cork.

A conventional split system will not work to provide the necessary humidity, so it is necessary to install special air conditioners for wine cellars.

Shelving design

Racks for wine storage are selected special. This requires a certain modular design that has cells for storing bottles. The racks can store several hundred bottles depending on the design.

Traditionally, wine racks are made of oak.

Racks can be easily grouped as required. With their help, you can give the room a certain personality. Having worked out not only the working qualities, but also the design of the wine cellar, one can achieve quite high aesthetic results.

The racks can have hexagonal slots which are the most suitable for traditional bottles. Such racks are sold in almost any specialized store, so there will be no problems with their purchase.

Stages of working on a storage device

A wine cellar cannot be made from scratch. The room for it should be equipped with special communications and equipment.
The main stages of its construction are as follows:

• Development of an individual project that will take into account the location and size of the storage, as well as the financial capabilities of the owner.
• Carrying out preparatory work: the basement must be cleaned, treated with special antiseptic compounds that can resist mold for a long time.
• Installation of air conditioners (split systems). Conditioners for wine cellars are also selected individually.
• Interior decoration of the wine cellar, installation of lamps and a suitable insulated door.
• Selection and installation of racks on which bottles will lie.
• Final finishing, including decoration of the room with decorative elements.

Coniferous wood for interior decoration should not be used.

The wine cellar usually has wooden walls. The main condition in the process of finishing work is to maintain the required temperature, as well as the necessary humidity and thermal insulation. For walls, it is recommended to use environmentally friendly plaster and putty. At the same time, it is forbidden to use pine wood for finishing, because during operation it will emit the corresponding odors due to the resin. The same can be said about cedar, the resinous substances of which can endow wines with an unpleasant aftertaste. And no split system can cope with the smells of wood.

If you are making a wine cellar with your own hands, then choose an oak finish. Oak wood has been used in wine cellars around the world for many years. Wine barrels are also made from it, which already says a lot. It should be noted that the wine cellar should not have carpets.

Floor and insulation

For a wine cellar, different floor coverings can be used: from marble to ceramic tiles. Experts, at the same time, note that the ideal wine cellar has an adobe floor, which in addition is covered with sand or fine gravel. During the summer months, such a floor is usually moistened in order to maintain optimal conditions in the cellar.

Wine does not like excessive dryness, so in the absence of a good climate system, you can moisten the floor in storage as needed.

If the terrain is soil with a high level of moisture, then it is best to use slag or concrete for flooring. It is also not necessary to completely isolate the floor from moisture - this is not an urgent need, because the basement will need periodic moisture.

To make effective thermal insulation, it is recommended to sheathe the wine cellar with any modern closed-porous thermal insulation material. As a rule, the material is applied in one layer up to 10 cm thick. The main requirement for the material is moisture resistance, neutrality to chemical attack, and the absence of odors. Before carrying out work on the thermal insulation of the room, the entire basement must be treated with antiseptic compounds.

Vapor barrier and ventilation

Having decided to make a wine cellar with their own hands, many people completely forget about the vapor barrier of the room. And this is a prerequisite for the long-term preservation of wine in its normal form. The vapor barrier in the wine cellar can be made from special plastic panels, which are best mounted from the outside of the room (if this is not possible, then they will have to be installed from the inside). All surfaces (except the floor) should be finished with panels.

A wine cellar is a place where the accumulation of various extraneous odors is unacceptable. Because they can penetrate even the most airtight cork. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to arrange a high-quality ventilation system.

The supply and exhaust forced ventilation system is perfect. In addition, experts recommend trying to provide for optimal air distribution.

Making a cellar for storing wine with your own hands is not as difficult as it seems at a first approximation. In the process of work, it is very important to follow all the recommendations given by the specialist, and pay attention to even the smallest nuances of arranging this unusual room. Of course, taking into account the installation of various ventilation systems, air conditioners and insulation materials, the cost of creating a quality wine cellar will be significant.

An ideal place to store wine is a specially equipped wine cellar. Only he is able to provide the necessary temperature, humidity, light, thanks to which the noble drink retains its exquisite taste. You can build a wine cellar in a private house on your own, but for this you need to know all the secrets of its construction.

Choosing the right place

Practice has shown that it is possible to maintain optimal temperature conditions only if the cellar is located outside. If it is made in the form of a cellar under the house, then the risk of a rise in temperature increases significantly, which is unfavorable for the drink. When choosing a place for a structure, one should be based on the following rules:

• Construction in low-lying areas is excluded, as this will lead to the accumulation of water during precipitation and thaw.
• In advance, you need to check the level of groundwater. They should be 50-100 centimeters below the floor level. The lower their occurrence, the less dampness will be in the room, and the risk of flooding in the off-season is also reduced.
• If it is decided to build a cellar under the house, then it should be designed at the foundation stage. To maintain normal conditions, it should not be placed under the kitchen, bath, sauna.
• The entrance to the room is recommended to be located on the north side, since in this case the minimum amount of sunlight will fall on it.
• It is not recommended to place the structure near railway tracks, a busy road and any other places that are sources of vibrations.
• All building materials used should not have a strong specific odor. Other prerequisites include antiseptic treatment, non-toxicity, and moisture resistance.

As for the size, here you need to focus on the available area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe site, as well as personal preferences. However, for a convenient location of even a small collection of wines, you will need a room with an area of ​​at least 10 square meters. And an area equal to 25 squares will accommodate about three thousand bottles!

Building walls and floors

The construction of a wine cellar with your own hands must begin with the selection and installation of walls and floors, because it is on them that the main burden will lie. The most common bricks, foam blocks and any other closed-porous options can be used as the main material for laying out walls. FSB blocks with ideal technical characteristics will be a good choice. Interior wall decoration can be made of:

• Natural wood, but you can not use pungent-smelling species, such as cedar or pine. The fact is that the smell of this wood quickly passes into the drink, giving it an unpleasant aftertaste. Oak is the ideal choice.
• Natural or artificial stone of any fraction and design.
• Decorative tiles and ordinary bricks. This option is one of the most practical, since if small cracks or surface damage appear, it can always be restored with putty or plaster.

The choice of a suitable option is based on the design of the cellar, the preferences of its owner.

The floor of the future storage for wine can be made of different materials, the choice of which depends on the location of the cellar, its arrangement, and design. Most often it is performed from:

• Hardwood is the perfect complement to a design dominated by wood or natural stone.
• Ceramic is a simple and practical option that is easy to keep perfectly clean.
• Natural marble is a luxurious choice for high-end storage.
• Clay pavement sprinkled with fine gravel or clean sand is one of the oldest pavements, which is still considered one of the best options. It prevents the formation of condensation puddles, as droplets that break from the ceiling immediately seep through the gravel.

If groundwater is located at a depth of less than one meter from the floor, then it is worth first making a concrete screed or laying a reinforced concrete slab. This will protect the flooring from excessive moisture and premature damage.

We create optimal conditions

To preserve the taste characteristics of the drink, its proper maturation, it is necessary to maintain a certain microclimate in the wine cellar. The main criteria are:

• The air temperature, which ideally should be between 12 and 14 degrees. It is this mode that guarantees full fermentation, preservation of taste and aroma. If the temperature falls below ten degrees, then the maturation of the wine will slow down, and if it rises above 18 degrees, the drink will lose its characteristic freshness. Sharp jumps are also undesirable, due to which the plugs are deformed very quickly.
• Humidity - optimal performance - from 60 to 75%. Their maintenance guarantees the safety of traffic jams, the absence of unpleasant odors, fungi, mold. In drier air, corks dry out rather quickly, and oxygen enters the drink, it begins to turn sour.
• Lighting - only artificial low-power light sources are allowed. In no case should incandescent lamps of any modification be installed, as they strongly heat the air. To create a pleasant relaxing atmosphere, you can use matte shades, special shading caps, lampshades.

If the cellar is located, designed and built competently and in compliance with all techniques, then the necessary parameters will be maintained automatically. But practice shows that in order to preserve valuable collections, it is better to install special split systems. Their use will provide the desired microclimate under any external conditions. A useful addition would be automatic dimmers.

Important components to ensure the required conditions are:

• Doors that maintain the stability of the microclimate. The ideal choice would be special thermal doors, which in their design resemble refrigerator doors. It is not recommended to use bulky, large or double-leaf models, as they will create unnecessary air currents.
• The system of heat and vapor barrier, which should be taken care of even at the stage of building walls. All existing gaps, seams and joints must be treated with an antiseptic and sealed with putty. Good thermal insulation will be provided by sheathing with materials with a porous structure and a thickness of not more than 20 centimeters. Vapor barrier panels must be installed on walls and ceilings.
• Ventilation, the installation of which will provide an influx of fresh air, will eliminate the appearance of a musty smell. It is recommended to opt for a system operating on the basis of the "exhaust-inflow" principle. It is important to ensure that the incoming air masses circulate throughout the storage area!

When choosing materials for arranging a cellar, you should give preference to natural and environmentally friendly products that do not have sharp specific odors. This will preserve the taste and aroma of the drink, prevent the ingress of toxic substances into its composition.

We equip the interior space

A mandatory component of a home wine cellar are racks and shelves for storing a drink. As a rule, they are located around the entire perimeter and set the tone for the overall design of the room. Racks can be of various shapes - square, triangular, diamond-shaped and any others. The main thing is that the bottles are placed horizontally in them! You can make racks to order from the masters or try to build them yourself. The most commonly used materials are:

• Wood is a classic option, accessible to everyone and suitable for any design. The priority species is oak impregnated with linseed oil. It maintains an optimal microclimate, is resistant to temporary damage, and does not have a strong odor.
• A metal that allows you to create oddly shaped shelving units with maximum strength. In practice, it is not used very often.
• Limestone is one of the oldest options, maintaining the desired temperature and resistant to mold.
• Natural stone is a status solution for luxury cellars.

If desired and creative, wine racks can be made from any suitable material. There are modifications made of glass, clay cells, brickwork, concrete and more.

In a properly equipped cellar, there should also be a table with several chairs and shelves for vertical storage of bottles. Connoisseurs of this noble drink know that a week before drinking wine, the bottle must be placed horizontally, as this will allow the sediment to sink to the bottom. If the design provides for a table, then it is installed in the center of the room, allowing you to enjoy the unique atmosphere of the wine storage.

Do-it-yourself wine cellar is not an easy task. Violation of one of the many necessary conditions can lead to spoilage of wine, which often represents not only great gastronomic, but also material value. What exactly in a wine cellar can damage and damage a wine collection?

1. There must be the right light in the wine cellar - solar and neon, the so-called fluorescent lamps, are considered especially dangerous for wine.
2. Sudden temperature fluctuations in the wine cellar - both too low and too high temperatures, as well as its sharp fluctuations, can damage wine.
3. There should be no vibrations in the wine cellar, this does not allow the wine to develop properly.
4.Low air humidity - a dry cork can ruin the wine, while too high humidity can affect the cork, namely its surface. If the humidity is too high, mold can form between the capsule and the surface of the cork, which will adversely affect the wine. High humidity can also ruin a wine's label.
5. Strong foreign odors - Only wine should be stored in the wine cellar. Corks do not provide 100% tightness of wine, and this is not necessary, otherwise it could not evolve, respectively, wine is able to absorb foreign smell, which will definitely lead to its distortion.

Based on this, the conditions that must be observed when storing wine in a wine cellar are determined:

1. The horizontal position of the bottle, so that the cork can be completely washed with wine and not dry out.
2. Darkness. In the wine cellar, the light should be turned on only when you are there, the rest of the time it is absolute darkness.
3. The wine cellar is always a clean room with good ventilation.
4. Peace and quiet, no unnecessary movement and vibrations.
5. Strict temperature regime: 11-12 degrees Celsius (permissible 10-14 degrees)
6. Air humidification mode (constant humidity of about 75-80%, but not lower than 70%)
7. Complete absence of foreign odors

In the best way all these conditions, of course, correspond to a specially equipped wine cellar. The walls of the wine cellar should be made of porous materials such as limestone, sandstone, brick. If a concrete wine cellar is used to store wine, holes must be drilled in its walls.

Two common methods are used to provide clean air. The first, which is suitable for small rooms, is to arrange natural ventilation of the wine cellar by installing a ventilation grill at the bottom of the door, and place an extractor hood on the opposite wall, under the ceiling. If the door is in the north, and the hood is installed on the south or east wall, it will be possible to avoid drafts dangerous for wine. The second method, suitable for rooms of any size, is the installation of special air conditioners for the wine cellar.

To maintain the necessary humidity in the wine cellar, the floor is covered with a 4-5 cm layer of gravel or sand, which is regularly moistened by watering, especially in hot, dry weather. Among storage equipment, a thermometer and a barometer (to determine humidity) are absolutely essential.

For lighting a wine cellar, it makes sense to use only the weakest electric bulbs, which are switched on only when visiting the cellar.

Keeping in mind that vino vibration is strictly contraindicated, one must be aware that buying or renting a wine cellar next to a nightclub, a house being rebuilt, or a shallow subway line is not a very smart investment.

Shelves for storing bottles in a wine cellar are not desirable to be made of wood or plastic. Plastic is not a very reliable material, and wood is prone to decay. One shelf should not fit more than six rows of bottles.

Wine stored for a long time should be placed in such a way that it is disturbed as little as possible, on the lower rows or in the depths of the wine cellar. Wine intended for quick opening, on the contrary, closer, on the upper shelves.
To preserve the labels, it is better to place the bottles with the labels down.

Both experienced and novice collectors place wines in the wine cellar according to their types, regions and years of production. Experienced owners of large collections, as a rule, compile a catalog with which it will be easy to find the location of any bottle in the cellar, as well as learn all the information about it.

If the arrangement of the wine cellar is not yet included in the plans of the collector or restaurateur, you can purchase special refrigerated cabinets. This expensive product fully pays for itself, since a significant part of the necessary storage conditions in it is performed automatically, and their placement does not require a separate room.

Notes:

1. It is undesirable to keep wine in cardboard boxes or wooden boxes, paper and wood rot, and wine can easily absorb this unacceptable smell.
2. Wine with a not very long expected shelf life (up to one and a half years) can be stored at a temperature of 16-18 degrees Celsius (according to some sources, up to 20). This speeds up the maturation of the wine, but its improvement is not as good as at 11-12 degrees. With an even greater decrease in temperature, however, the wine practically ceases to evolve.