Why a Wine Cellar?

View from inside a wine cellar looking out to adjacent room

Wine Needs the Proper Environment - Wine is a living, breathing organism that needs to be in the appropriate environment in order to thrive. For wine to retain its inert positive qualities, and age to perfection, its proper storage is by far the most important variable. A wine cellar is THE best way to achieve this.

  • The proper environment for long term storage of wine is in a place where the temperature is constantly around 55 degrees, the humidity is between 60 and 70%, there is no vibration, it is very seldom subjected to UV rays, and bottles can be oriented properly.

  • A proper Wine Cellar does provide this ideal environment. A wine fridge does not.

Even if the vibration from the motor(s) can be sufficiently negated, the humidity levels in wine fridges are NOT high enough or consistent enough. Although wine fridges attempt not to remove humidity, they do not add humidity. Therefore they do not have the ability to maintain the humidity to the proper level.

Wine fridges are advertised using phrasing like "stabilizes humidity". Yes, they do stabilize humidity. But NO, they do not increase the humidity to the level needed for the long term needs of wine bottle corks. If you want to lay down a bottle with a real cork in it for more than 5 years, a wine fridge will NOT work for you.

Some wine fridges come with a little sponge that you are to wet when it becomes dry. Even if you did wet it the second it became dry, the humidity level in the fridge would have already gone down. Corks do not respond well to variations in humidity.

  • Retail stores and warehouses seldom store wines properly. The longer the wine is kept at these locations, the greater the chance of irreversible damage.

More Reasons for a Wine Cellar - There are many other reasons why a wine cellar will elevate the quality of your life and enjoyment of wine to a point never before experienced, or even anticipated. Here are some, but by no means all, of the very excellent reasons to incorporate a wine cellar into your home:

Convenience - If you're like most wine enthusiasts, you love to entertain. Imagine being able to throw a spur of the moment get together for your friends, family, and fellow wine aficionados, and be confident that you have something special to offer just a few feet down the hall - in your very own VinGrotto Wine Cellar! No more having to set aside time to stop at the liquor store and attempt to find something good. No need to rearrange your schedule - it's all within your reach - when you want it, as often as you want it, whichever bottle you want, and as much of it as you want.

Sales - Take advantage of the availability of your favorite wines at the best prices. You can buy various vintages before they’re sold out. Buy as many as you like. When the opportunity presents itself, you have plenty of proper storage.

Found a wine you like? - You can buy a few cases when it's offered, and have it available for years to come. 

Start with the food - Whatever you feel like having for dinner, you're likely to have the perfect wine for it in your well-stocked cellar. Plan your menu, walk into your cellar, and pick out the perfect wine. That's how life is supposed to be, right?

Time on your side - Buy your wines at your leisure. You can buy a wine when it’s young and much less expensive, rather than mature, hard to find, and very expensive. Not to mention the fact that if you do find it, the odds of it having been stored properly are not great.

Novice/Expert - If you are a novice and are looking to become more knowledgeable about wine, what better way than having your very own "lab" in which to experiment and learn? Buy a few wines, store them in your cellar, open them at various times, and experience how they look, taste and smell - how they change over time. If you are an expert, you know the benefits of a wine cellar, and this is really the next logical step - propel yourself to the level you always dreamed of.

A great supply of gifts - With a wine cellar, you always have a supply of wonderful gifts on hand. No need for a last minute trip to the store.

Diversify your investment portfolio - Fine wine is often a very good investment.

Property value - A VinGrotto Wine Cellar adds to both the monetary value of your home, it's marketability, and your pride in it.

- Jeff Hagen, VinGrotto.com

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