Does a Wine Cellar Need to Be Dark?

Every detail matters when it comes to creating a beautiful and functional space for your clients. This is especially true when it comes to designing a wine cellar. Wine is a delicate product that needs to be stored in the right conditions in order to preserve its flavor and quality (and value).

One of the most important factors in wine storage is light. Exposure to light can damage wine in two ways:

• It is a heat source that can warm a room
• Direct sunlight (UV rays) denigrate wine quality

So, does a wine cellar need to be dark?

The short (ish) answer is creating a cellar in a dark area of a home or restaurant sure makes it a lot easier to block UV rays and control heat.

But there are a few different ways to achieve a suitable environment for your wine cellar.

The most obvious option is to build the wine cellar in a basement or other underground space. This will naturally provide a dark and cool environment for your wine.

If the client wants something in a more central location with light exposure, there are a few more options to explore:

1. Use a closet or small room that doesn’t have windows
2. If natural light is unavoidable, mitigate damage by using glass products that feature UV protection and/or add blackout curtains or other shading treatments

Once the light has been considered, you'll need to make sure that the temperature and humidity levels are also ideal. The ideal temperature for storing wine is 55 degrees. The humidity level should be between 50% and 70%.

If the natural conditions don’t provide that, consider specifying a wine cooling unit.

By following these simple tips, you can create the perfect environment for storing your wine.

Here are some additional tips for storing wine in a dark environment:

• Keep your wine bottles away from sources of heat, such as heating vents, appliances, or ovens.
• Avoid placing your wine bottles in direct sunlight.
• If you're not sure how to store your wine, take one of our trainings. We’d be happy to help.