Once winter sets in and the cold surrounds us we tend to forget that our wines still need our attention. Here are five tips for keeping your precious wine safe during the winter months:
1. Perhaps the most overlooked element in a wine cellar is the humidity. This is a huge problem in the winter months because the ambient air is much more drier than in the summer months. One may want to consider adding a humidification system to their cellar to make sure that the corks don’t dry out. This is a very real problem in the dry arid West but humidity levels are also much lower on the East coast all through winter.
2. Winter is a great time to add a cooling system to your cellar. This is especially true in the warmer states. During the colder months the ambient air temperature around your cellar is much cooler than in the summer. This is important because your wine wont be exposed to warm air during the install.
3. You may notice that your wine cellar cooling system is working less during the cold months. The reasons are obvious of course. Take advantage of this "down time" and perform the necessary maintenance that all cooling systems require to function properly. Procedures such as cleaning the filters, cleaning the coil and even recharging the system if necessary.
4. Winter is also a great time to clean your cellar. Dust in a wine cellar is common and, in my opinion, adds a little character to the space. Never the less, the cooler months are a great time to clean the area because of the cooler ambient temperatures.
5. If your wine cellar is passive (no cooling system), then the winter temperatures could be too low for proper aging of wine. Place a simple thermometer/hygrometer in the space to make sure that the cellar is at least 55 degrees. Cooler temperatures will stunt the aging process and slow maturity.
Cheers,
Christian Hancock
Wine Cellar Specialist