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  • In part 1 of “How to Start Your Own Wine Cellar”, we started with the basics and got you thinking about the number of bottles you would like to store, why you are storing, what space you have available, how much you are willing to spend, and the security of your cellar. Now, let’s dive deeper into these 5 questions and break down some of the options you have, plus our recommendations on some wines to start building your wine cellar collection!

    5 Quality Wines to Add to Your Cellar

    If you plan on using your wine cellar to hold premium wines for those special celebrations here are some must-haves to get started.

    • Stina Posip: Fruit-forward with peach, melon, hints of orange blossom, and lime. It has a creamy, fuller palate making this white from Croatia superb. Try this wine in our Adventurer all white packs.
    • D de Dauzac: From France, this medium to full-bodied Bordeaux style red has oaky flavours of vanilla and chocolate. It carries notes of black fruits, leather, and smoke. Get this in our Adventurer all red and mixed, 4 and 6 packs.
    • Benito Ferrara – Greco di Tufo: From Campania, Italy, this full-bodied white has tropical notes of apple, pear, peach, and lemon zest along with minerality. A drier white that is crisp and flavourful. Grab this in our Adventurer all white and mixed, 4 and 6 packs.

    Looking to add to your everyday drinking wines? The following are great wines to pull out for any occasion! Whether you’re having a relaxing evening at home, enjoying a spa night, or simply want to pair your meal with a bottle of wine, these suggestions won’t disappoint!

    • Ant Moore Sauvignon Blanc: A well-rounded Sauvignon Blanc, displaying intense lemon flavours with hints of lime. While the nose is subtle, this wine has great richness, palate length, and weight that provides huge flavour intensity on the finish. A drier, classic Ant Moore style Sauvignon Blanc. Get this in our Weekday Warrior all white and mixed packs
    • Bodegas Goru: Intense aromas of red and ripe fruit, pleasantly creamy, accompanied with touches of toasted tones. It is fruity and flavourful in the mouth, meaty and toasted with soſt and ripe tannins. Reminiscent of vanilla and cinnamon. Try it in our Weekday Warrior mixed 6 pack.
    1. How many bottles do you want to store and what temperatures should they be kept at?

    This will be dependent on your long-term plan, storage space, and day-to-day drinking habits. My recommendation would be to think about your wine journey so far, and for the next 10-20 years. If you just want to have wine around for friends, family, and social events then you may want a small selection of around 20-30 bottles.

    If you are going to be rotating the wines you have often, then storage temperatures are not as important because wines won’t spoil that quickly unless the temperature you are storing the wines at is 24°C or higher, and you are keeping them for longer than a month or two. If this is the case, you will need to consider a wine fridge. Not only will it keep your wines at an ideal temperature for storage, but also for drinking. Red wine is often better a few degrees below room temperature, and white wine is best served chilled. Wine fridges range in size and quality. A good rule of thumb is you want a wine fridge that is going to maintain a steady temperature in all conditions. A wine fridge is not the same as a regular fridge, and the ideal temperature range is 10-15°C for short-term storage and 12-14°C for longer-term storage. If you are investing in a dual-zone wine fridge, then you might want to keep the white wines at 4°C and the reds at 13°C, as an example.

    2. Are you storing wine just for personal use, or are you hoping to use wine as an investment, and someday, sell some of your wine library?

    If you are buying wine as an investment, then you should be looking at a good quality wine fridge that is going to maintain your wines at an ideal temperature for many years. Think of it as a safe (many come with locks) to keep your prized possessions secure for a long time. My wine fridge holds 154 bottles and is my long-term storage for some of my more prized possessions that I intend to sell down the road. As a rule of thumb, if I like a wine to drink and age, I buy three bottles. One to drink soon, one for a year or two down the road, and a third for sale or to age a decade or more, based on the quality of the wine. I have a second wine fridge that holds up to 50 bottles of my everyday drinking wines, which we at Paired Club call our Weekday Warrior Wines. This fridge is usually around 4°C, so I take out my reds an hour ahead of when I want to drink them, so they drink around 15°C which is my preference for most reds.

    3. What space options do you have in your home?

    An important consideration is where you want to store your wines in your home. If you are buying a wine fridge, you will need to consider keeping it out of direct sunlight, and in a space that is slightly more secure (if you plan on keeping expensive wines), and obviously you need a power outlet close by. I converted a closet and managed to fit my wine fridge perfectly inside. I can lock the door and it has air ventilation around it, so it doesn’t overheat. Think about a spot that isn’t going to be troublesome for people to get around, and you’ll need to have room for the door to open and close. Some other options are under the stair space, pantries, and hollow wall spaces.

    4. How much are you willing to spend on the storage of your wines?

    If you have a wine collection worth over a couple of hundred dollars then you should be storing them at the right temperatures, away from sunlight and at temperatures outlined above. Consider this; If you bought an expensive bottle of wine and it went bad because it was in a hot place and exposed to sunlight, how would you feel? Probably not too happy! For a small investment, you can ensure your wine purchases are going to be fine. It’s well worth the effort and expense to properly store your wine.

    5. How secure does your wine cellar need to be?

    Do you have teenagers, frequent guests, or strangers in your home? Do you Airbnb, or have a roommate? Your final consideration needs to be how safe do you need your wines to be. If you have an extensive collection you will want to ensure they are able to be locked away in a secure spot. Most modern wine fridges all come with locks on them, but you may want to add extra security, such as a quiet room with a lockable door.

    Now that you have a better understanding of what is required to start your own wine cellar based on your needs, you’re all set to get the ball rolling! Check out our Weekday Warrior bundles for your everyday drinking wines or consider premium wines in our Adventurer bundles to build your wine cellar selection every month.

    You can also take our fun, easy quiz to personalize your bundle based on your own tasting preferences!

    Allen Ingram is the founder of myWinegenie Applications Ltd. and pairedclub.com and is a professional chef, as well as a Sommelier. His passion for the world’s best wine and food pairings has taken him all over the world for business and pleasure.

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