How and Why to Build a Wine Cellar

For years I've always thought that "some day" I would like to have a wine cellar of my own. Someplace that I could store a few bottles of my favourite Chardonnays and Cabernets, ready to produce them on a moment's notice to serve to unexpected friends and guests.

I always knew I would have my own wine cellar but I never realized how easy it would be to have it now, with just a little imagination and a little bit of cash. The turning point for me as far as how and why to build a wine cellar came when I got a copy of a very nice little eBook called "How To Build Your Own Wine Cellar" by Christopher Miley.

It was through reading this eBook that I realized a number of things that I had not understood previously.

First off, I always pictured the stereotyped wine cellar whenever I thought about having my own. You know, the dark, dusty old underground room lined with wine racks brimming with bottle after bottle, just waiting to serve my palate's demands.

Here's the thing, however. You can put together your own wine cellar in just about any unoccupied space in your home. A relatively unused closet, the irregular space under the steps, the possibilities are a'plenty. All it takes is a little creativity on your end to look at your home through different eyes. My guess is that there is a location that will be acceptable for your project if you only take the time to look for it.

I took the plunge and converted a closet off the main hall in my house. This closet had just been collecting junk for over a decade until I realized just how much more effective it might be as my own wine cellar. So one Saturday morning, I went through all of the junk, throwing away what was really useless and setting aside a number of articles for my up-and-coming garage sale. The few mementos from the closet that really were valuable to me simply found other places to live in my house.

Now that I had the space, I sat down and went through the how and why to build a wine cellar that Mr. Miley outlines in the book. He covers the things that are absolute necessities; temperature, humidity, darkness, etc. very well and it was possible for me to come up with my design very quickly.

I was able to put together my own wine cellar for less than $200 including racks with room for nearly six cases of wine. I have started stocking my cellar slowly, usually purchasing a case of something that intrigues me that I have found on sale somewhere with special pricing. This way I can put together a collection of nice wine that I'll be able to enjoy for years to come while helping my budget out as well. Now that I have room to store my purchases, I'm eager to find new wines to add to my collection.

My suggestion to anyone who is a bit of an oenophile like I am but who has hesitated in building their own wine cellar is this. Grab a copy of Mr. Miley's book and just decide that you're going to do it. The rewards are absolutely worth it and really all you need do is make the decision to do it. After that, the how and why to build a wine cellar becomes easy!

John Mann has been a wine aficianado for over thirty years. "Champagne living on a beer budget" is his mantra. For more information on wine (and other very cool topics) checkout his new website http://www.TheRefinedGentleman.com. Interested in having your own wine cellar? Grab a copy of "How To Build Your Own Wine Cellar" at his site and signup for his Newsletter to keep abreast of all sorts of interesting topics that Refined Gentlemen (and Sophisticated Ladies) want to know about.