Wine cellar maintenance: what you need to know

Your custom wine cellar protects your wine from spoiling, just as your refrigerator prevents your perishable food from going bad. People don’t often associate corked wine with being perishable, but eventually it most certainly does spoil – it just generally takes longer than milk does! Sunlight, warmth and fluctuations in humidity levels all contribute to wine spoilage, and your wine cellar stands between your wine and these elements.

But what protects your wine cellar?

Great wine that can mature properly such that it maintains its flavour and quality requires a well maintained wine cellar to keep it protected. Papro Wine Cellars & Consulting can provide advice and assistance regarding proper installation and maintenance of your wine storage area as well as sending licensed technicians to monitor its performance over time, so you can enjoy your custom wine cellar without any hassle or stress.

The specialists at Papro Wine Cellars & Consulting have developed a service and maintenance program that is unsurpassed in the industry, with bi-annual inspections, cleaning and servicing of your wine cellar cooling unit and other elements to help ensure that your wine cellar continues to perform optimally, year after year. Please read on to learn the basics of wine cellar maintenance.

It’s all about the cooling

If you’re trying to regulate temperature without a modern wine cellar cooling system, you are essentially gambling with your valuable collection. Because wine cellars are often located below ground, where moisture levels tend to be higher, traditional (dated) cooling units can be over-zealous in removing that humidity to the point that corks dry out, causing oxidization of the wine. A late model custom wine cellar cooling unit will not only keep your wines at the optimal temperature of 12-13° Celsius (55° Fahrenheit) but it will also ensure the humidity doesn’t drop below 60 percent. For humidity levels above 80 percent, you will need a dehumidifier because excess water can ruin labels.

Low maintenance, not no maintenance

We are proud to design beautiful custom wine cellars and expertly install them…and we know that, like anything that’s well made, they are low-maintenance. Yet, to keep your wines in perfect condition, some degree of maintenance is still required. Here are some tips to help you achieve a well-maintained wine cellar that can be your pride and joy:

  • Don’t exceed capacity. If you don’t have room in your existing wine cellar for all your bottles, drink some – or expand your wine cellar! Overworking the cooling unit may simply damage your precious wines.

 

  • Clean your wine cellar. Checking your bottles, gently wiping away dust and looking for any signs of moisture or frost on the labels will help you detect problems before they turn into catastrophes. Hopefully you are visiting your cellar often enough to catch anything!

 

  • Expert check. A licensed technician should inspect your wine cellar if you are in doubt as to the quality of your ventilation or cooling systems. Getting a professional to take a look and recommend any improvements will give you peace of mind.

 

Proper wine cellar maintenance will ensure your enjoyment of your wine cellar for as long as you’re in your home. Call us today for a consultation!



Papro Wine Cellars