A place for wine

Our ever-increasing interest in purchasing wine brings with it the question of where to best store our precious treasure.

Even if you have not invested in a small dualtemperature wine cabinet or (if you are truly an avid collector) built your own wine cellar, there are some good places in your house to store wine. Due to the heat and light, the worst spot for your wine is on a rack on the kitchen counter. If you live in an apartment, you can store your wine on a rack located in the entrance closet, as this area tends to be the darkest, coolest place in the apartment. In a house, the north wall of the basement tends to be the coolest, but only if the basement is unfinished and unheated.

If you choose to build a wine cellar, you’ll need to ensure the project will not damage the walls, ceiling and floor after completion. A properly constructed cellar must have a vapour barrier installed on its warm sides, over the insulation. A concrete floor also requires a vapour barrier, which is usually accomplished by the application of a concrete sealant. A tile or stone floor is always better, because of its drainage properties. Never use carpet on the floor—the cool, damp climate within a finished cellar might cause mould. The walls and ceiling inside the wine cellar should be covered in sheetrock and sealed with latex paint, prior to the walls being clad with redwood. Add a finishing touch to your cellar with redwood racking and shelving. A cooling system may be installed if you want to maintain your treasures at the optimum cellar temperature of 57 degrees and a humidity level between 55 and 70 per cent (hence the need for the vapour barrier). In reality, a wellconstructed wine cellar is similar to a fridge.

To avoid such an involved construction project, it might make more sense to purchase a wine cabinet, which is also ideal for wine storage. These cabinets are offered in a range of sizes to fit all demands and most spaces. Often, they have the option of dual temperature zones to accommodate white and red wine storage within the same unit.

THIS WEEK’S PICK
A labour of love sometimes goes unrecognized for a long time. Certain vintages will only make the cut after continuing to mature for several years. Once they attract the attention of prominent wine writers, they become sought after by sommeliers and wine aficionados— and their availability becomes limited.

Such is the case for the 2010 Northfield Cabernet Franc, crafted from estate-grown fruit at the Grange of Prince Edward. The care in fruit selection, with primary fermentation and aging in barriques, shows in the wine. It is a stunning example of cabernet franc: its nose is filled with rich blackberry preserves on cinnamon toast, a fruit-driven palate with a subtle lingering finish. This wine will soon be a much sought-after treasure.

This wine is available at the winery, located on Closson Road, at $35 per bottle.