The basic purpose of a wine cellar is to effectively control the aging process of wine. Once bottled, wine starts to mature, so proper storage is essential for it to mature in the right manner. The advantage of having a wine cellar is that you don't have to go out and get a bottle of wine every time you are ready to sit down and eat, or want to enjoy a glass. Having your own cellar enables you to plan and store wines for special occasions, even the odd unforeseen ones.

A wine cellar is basically a storage place for wine. Any dark cool room will do; it doesn't necessarily have to be underground. A wine cellar can be any location from a spot below the basement staircase to a room built especially for this purpose. Innovators work with the homeowner to design a cellar, which might include carvings, pillars, molding along the wall and perhaps a decorative wine-tasting table that is usually positioned outside the cellar. Traditionally, a wine cellar was underground because such a location kept the wines at a proper temperature. Ideally, a wine cellar should be dry and cool. The ideal temperature to be maintained is 50- 55F, but a reasonably consistent temperature between 45F and 70F is acceptable. What's important is that the temperature remains constant. If there are changes to the temperature, the change shouldn't be drastic. Although wines age faster in warmer temperatures, excessive heat can damage the wine. Expertise lies in getting the temperature just right.

Wine cellar air conditioning units control the temperature in order to age wine in perfect conditions. They also provide the ideal humidity level for a wine cellar. The type of cellar that you need depends on the kinds of wine in your collection.