Starting a wine cellar: do’s and don’ts

Philippines wine supplier Manila wine shop talks about starting a wine cellar

Date: October 15, 2010

Do:

1) Figure out how much room you need for storage (you said 150+ bottles a year, and an average 5 years turn around = 750 bottles) and then TRIPLE IT!

You will always need more space than you think.

2) It is the fluctuation of temperature that damages wine. If you do not, or can not have active temperature control, insulate, insulate, and insulate some more.

I recommend the mylar/bubble wrap insulation that is becoming more common. It has no nasty glass fibers to worry about, and it gives a good R rating without taking up much volume.

3) Balance – and above all, balance.

Make sure that most of your wine when you start is for drinking, not aging, or the first year you will be stealing from your future stocks.

Make sure that at least some of the wine in your cellar is for guests. Not just wine for your own tastes.

Make sure that some of your wine is always ready to drink. Keep a balance of maturity as well as variety.

4) Your tastes will change.

Make sure to leave room for whole new regions and styles of wine. Do not stock too heavily in any one area. See rules 1 and 3.

5) Make sure you have a great deal of flexibility in your racking.

Nothing worse than buying a case of magnums, or Champagne, or half bottles; only to find that your racks hold single Bordeaux bottles exclusively. Keep in mind that some wines, esp. Bordeaux is best stored in its original wooden case (auction houses designate when a wine is being offered owc – original wooden case). Make sure you have someplace to put these.

Don’t:

1) Don’t put your wine near a water heater, or other source of heat. This will bake your wines, even if the temperature is constant.

2) Don’t store your wine in cardboard cases.

The urge to do this is nearly overwhelming. The cardboard draws moisture out of the air, not critical, but not desired. The cardboard will also fall apart, and you can be sure that it will do so while you are moving a case of your favorite wine, and breakage will occur. Styrofoam shipping containers will be the bane of your existence as you collect. Save them, use them. While they do have cardboard on the outside, the styro inserts will nicely protect your finest wines.

3) Beware of off smells.

Greatly over looked in cellar design, off smells can in some cases permeate the corks of your wine, and from there the wine itself. Do not store paint, thinner or other chemicals near your wine.

4) Beware of vibration.

When the rules of wine cellars were being formulated, vibration was not an issue. No heavy trucks, or machinery existed. Now a days it doesn’t take much to find vibration sources, esp. in a frame house. That laundry machine is a likely culprit. While not disastrous, vibration will keep the wine from aging well, as the process of long chain polymerization will be interrupted.

5) Don’t buy cases of wine you haven’t tried first!!! Need I say more?

News and pertinent information about wine trade, wine appreciation, wine shops and outlets, wine and food pairing, wine making, viticulture, vintages, climate conditions affecting wine, new and revived wine regions etc can be found here in this section. Yats wine Cellars is much more than a Philippines wine supplier with a few wine shops, wine bars and wine outlets in Philippines where clients can buy good wines in Manila, Pampanga, Angeles City, Subic and Clark Philippines.  Yats Wine Cellars is also a rich source of information for the convenience of the growing community of wine lovers, wine connoisseurs and hobbyists.   Wine lovers in Manila, Subic, Pampanga, Angeles City and Clark Philippines can enjoy fine vintage wines in any of Yats Wine Cellars wine shopping outlets, wine bars, wine shops and wine restaurants.

Although wines are widely available in most Asian countries, especially in Hong Kong which has eliminated import tariff on wines altogether, the availability of fine vintage wines is still very scarce.  Most wine merchants offer big names, young vintages and cheaper wines for everyday consumption.  Wine lovers and connoisseurs looking for something special often travel to Clark Pampanga Philippines to do their shopping at this Wine Shop in Manila.

At Yats Wine Cellars we believe that a little bit of knowledge in wine goes a long way to developing expectations in the wines we choose to buy or drink.  Without expectation, it is difficult to really enjoy wine to its fullest.  With this in mind, efforts are made by Yats Wine Cellars to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible for our clients to learn more about wine.

Birthday wine gifts is one of the most popular birthday gifts to give someone living in the Philippines.  Fine Vintage wine from Yats Wine Cellars is a sure winner and it does not have to cost a great deal to send someone a bottle in Philippines

To avail of wine catering service of Yats Wine Cellars, just contact this wine supplier in Manila or Angeles Clark Philippines for a meeting to design a theme for the event.  The venue for a wine event can be in the privacy of a home, the convenience of an office in Manila for example or in a clubhouse of a subdivision.   Wine glasses and accessories necessary for wine service are included in the wine catering service.  Moreover, interesting wine notes accompany the wine to help participants enjoy the event even more by learning a little bit about wine while enjoying the party.  A wine steward will be present to serve the wine.

There is also an exciting collection of white wine from Burgundy at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Meursault, Chablis, Chassagne Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne and St. Aubin.  Red wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhone are also available with a good depth of back vintages too.  Visitors buy wine in Manila and Pampanga should not miss stopping at this wine shop for a few bottles of fine vintage wines to bring home.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila

Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple:  after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave.  From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City.  From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Clark Wine Center

Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building

Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,

Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023

0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars

Manila Sales Office

3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,

Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605

(632) 637-5019   0917-520-4393  ask for Rea or Chay

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.