One of the great joys of wine is to be able to select a bottle from your own cellar, \rperhaps one that you've been storing for some years, draw the cork and enjoy it \rwith friends. You can marvel at the changes brought on by maturity and, as a bonus, \ryou can brag about the price you paid and congratulate yourself on picking up such \ra bargain!\rHowever, wine is an ever-changing thing and how it is stored will directly affect how \rquickly and how well it ages!\rStoring wine is very simple ¡­\rIt requires a constant temperature, humidity, darkness, stillness and a well-\rventilated and clean environment.

? Insulation\rThe first essential is to create a storage environment that provides the basics of \rstable temperature, no light and no vibration.\rIn general terms 4? (100mm) of polystyrene is the equivalent to 3 ft (1 meter) of \rground. So if you¡¯re trying to decide between an above ground construction and an \runderground cavern, you must be prepared to dig deep for the latter.\rYour cupboard, indoor space or your outdoor construction must be well shaded, \rwell insulated and with the minimum of air movement in and out.

? Temperature\rThe objective is to provide stored wines with a constant temperature of between \r50?F and 59?F (10¡ãC ¨C 15¡ãC).\rSeasonal changes in temperature will not harm your wine, although fluctuations \rgreater than one degree a week should be avoided.\rWines subjected to temperatures over 77?F (25¡ãC) are in grave danger of rapid \rdeterioration.\rWines stored in less than ideal conditions will age at speeds quite different to those \renvisaged by winemakers when they offer suggested storage times. A hygro \rthermometer will provide you with accurate information as to both the temperature \rand humidity ranges within your cellar.\rA well-constructed above ground cellar or a well dug underground cellar will require \rthe minimum of additional temperature control although your climate or the \rposition of your cellar may necessitate the use of a cooling device that will provide \rcomplete temperature stability.\rAnother alternative is a temperature controlled wine cabinet. Some of these can hold \rup to 800 bottles but be aware that some manufacturers¡¯ suggested bottle capacity \rcan be misleading and the racks may be smaller than you require. Champagne \rbottles are larger than riesling bottles!\rRegard assembled wine as your best cooling block. A high density of wine bottles \rwill reduce wine temperature fluctuations.\rConsider keeping your long-term wines in a professional storage facility if your \rcellar cannot conform to the optimum temperature ranges.

? Humidity\rA dry atmosphere is an enemy of the natural cork seal. A natural cork is compressed \rand forced into the bottle as a 100% natural seal.\rLow humidity combined with a defective cork results in the wine moving out of the \rbottle (increasing ullage) and air naturally moving into the bottle.\rModerate humidity is important to keep the cork in good resilient condition and \rprevent it shrinking. Screw capped bottles do not require humidity.\rExcessive humidity will not harm the wine but can cause the labels to go moldy. The \rideal humidity for your cellar is 70%, however anywhere between 50¨C80% is \racceptable.

? Darkness\rLight will prematurely age a bottle of wine. Clear bottles are most susceptible to this \rproblem, but ultraviolet light will penetrate even dark colored glass.\rUltraviolet light will damage wine by causing the degradation of the otherwise stable \rorganic compounds, especially the tannins found in wine. These organic compounds \rcontribute to the aroma, flavor and structure of the wine. Without them your wine \rwould be flat and thin.\rSo exposure to ultraviolet light results in unfavorable and irreversible changes in \ryour wine.\rExtra care should be given to sparkling wines as they are more sensitive to light \rthan other wines.

? Lay it down!\rStore your wine bottles horizontally so the wine is in contact with the cork. This will \rkeep the cork wet. If the cork dries out and shrinks it will let air get to your wine. \rStore it with the label facing up. This will help in three ways:\rYou can easily see what the wine is. You don¡¯t have to disturb the bottle to see what \ryou¡¯ve got in your cellar.\rThe sediment will form on the opposite side to the label and make it easier to see.\rThe label is less likely to be damaged. If you¡¯re storing wine as an investment, a \rdamaged label will reduce the value.

Chris Miley is the creator of the very popular book ¡°How To Build And Start Your \rOwn Wine Cellar¡± which includes complete instructions for building your own \rbasement wine cellar plus many other ideas for wine storage areas in your home, \rfrom a cupboard under the stairs to a temperature controlled wine cabinet. Go to \rhttp://www.winecellarsecrets.com to find out more about building your own wine \rcellar