This question is this: cooled wine cellars or passive ones? Well to be quite frank, the serious collector always cools his wine collection.
Why? It is simply because wine spoils under certain conditions.
One of these conditions is temperatures above 70 degrees for long periods of time.
So, having said all this, let's take a serious look at the benefits of providing a cooled environment for the wine collection instead of a passive one.
Now many people have concrete walls in their basement.
They view this fact as significant for an unheated basement is often somewhat cool.
They believe this is therefore a suitable passive climate for a wine cellar-due to the concrete walls.
However, a basement wall actually may not produce ideal passive wine cellar conditions and this is due to modern construction techniques.
Let's look at the ideal conditions for a wine cellar: There are four key elements that are necessary for wine to age properly; they are: 1) Constant temperature (ideally between 55-63 degrees Fahrenheit), 2) Proper humidity; this would be between 60-70% humidity, 3) It is most important that there be little light, that is, no constant outside light.
Light produces heat and this is the great enemy of wine storage.
4) Last it is important that wine experience little or no vibration.
Now, with all this in mind, let's return to our concrete wall.
While, on the one hand, it is true that ground temperatures below 4 feet are generally a constant 50-55 degrees, on the other hand, modern basements are so well insulated from the earth surrounding them that they have little or no air-penetration.
As a result, in these modern homes the temperature will hover higher, around 66-68 degrees instead of the 50-55 degrees.
Now at 70 degrees, wine will start to deteriorate.
So, we are precariously close to danger here.
Add some active living in the basement area, a few appliances and, most importantly, a heating system and you will find this a danger zone for passive wine storage.
Here is another point; most people think they should keep white wine chilled and their red wines at room temperature, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Your kitchen refrigerator is actually too cold for proper wine storage! The optimal condition for storing wine is between 53 and 57 degrees, and between 60 and 70 percent humidity.
Refrigerators are therefore too cold for proper wine storage.
Even though it's mainly reds that age and mature, proper storage temperatures apply to all white, red, sparkling, or rose.
Now, don't confuse storage temperatures with serving temperature.
When you are serving wine, it's a totally different thing.
White, sparking wine, and rose should be chilled further to between 44 and 48 degrees and reds should be set up to reach about 62.
So, if you have a valuable collection of wines, it's best to take the extra effort and make the extra investment to properly cool your wine room.
Why? It is simply because wine spoils under certain conditions.
One of these conditions is temperatures above 70 degrees for long periods of time.
So, having said all this, let's take a serious look at the benefits of providing a cooled environment for the wine collection instead of a passive one.
Now many people have concrete walls in their basement.
They view this fact as significant for an unheated basement is often somewhat cool.
They believe this is therefore a suitable passive climate for a wine cellar-due to the concrete walls.
However, a basement wall actually may not produce ideal passive wine cellar conditions and this is due to modern construction techniques.
Let's look at the ideal conditions for a wine cellar: There are four key elements that are necessary for wine to age properly; they are: 1) Constant temperature (ideally between 55-63 degrees Fahrenheit), 2) Proper humidity; this would be between 60-70% humidity, 3) It is most important that there be little light, that is, no constant outside light.
Light produces heat and this is the great enemy of wine storage.
4) Last it is important that wine experience little or no vibration.
Now, with all this in mind, let's return to our concrete wall.
While, on the one hand, it is true that ground temperatures below 4 feet are generally a constant 50-55 degrees, on the other hand, modern basements are so well insulated from the earth surrounding them that they have little or no air-penetration.
As a result, in these modern homes the temperature will hover higher, around 66-68 degrees instead of the 50-55 degrees.
Now at 70 degrees, wine will start to deteriorate.
So, we are precariously close to danger here.
Add some active living in the basement area, a few appliances and, most importantly, a heating system and you will find this a danger zone for passive wine storage.
Here is another point; most people think they should keep white wine chilled and their red wines at room temperature, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Your kitchen refrigerator is actually too cold for proper wine storage! The optimal condition for storing wine is between 53 and 57 degrees, and between 60 and 70 percent humidity.
Refrigerators are therefore too cold for proper wine storage.
Even though it's mainly reds that age and mature, proper storage temperatures apply to all white, red, sparkling, or rose.
Now, don't confuse storage temperatures with serving temperature.
When you are serving wine, it's a totally different thing.
White, sparking wine, and rose should be chilled further to between 44 and 48 degrees and reds should be set up to reach about 62.
So, if you have a valuable collection of wines, it's best to take the extra effort and make the extra investment to properly cool your wine room.
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