Cleaning the Wine Cellar at My Farm
Another home-keeping project at my Bedford, New York farm is complete.
Some of you may know, I have a very large collection of wines stored in my Winter House basement - some were purchased for parties and others were given to me as gifts. I also keep a group of personal favorites from our own Martha Stewart Wine Co. Every now and then, I like to clean the space out, reorganize the shelves, and make sure all the bottles are categorized properly by vintage year. Last week, my personal executive assistant, Shqipe Berisha Lulenaj, and my housekeeper, Carlos Restrepo, took on the time-consuming task. The project needed a couple of days to complete, but now it will be much easier to locate specific wines, liquors and other spirits the next time I entertain.
Here are some photos - enjoy.
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- Since we last cleaned my wine cellar, I’ve added and received many more bottles. The area was in need of re-organization. I keep all my bottles in a cool, dark room located in one part of my basement. The ideal temperature range for wine is between 45 and 65-degrees Fahrenheit.
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- You may recall, a couple of years ago we removed every single bottle from the room – there were thousands and thousands.
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- This year, all the uncategorized bottles were placed in bins according to vintage year.
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- Among the wines in this bin – 2016 Cala de Poeti Vermentino I.G.T. and 2015 Bear Hug cabernet sauvignon – both from Martha Stewart Wine Co. https://marthastewartwine.com/
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- Most of the bottles are standard size, which is 750ml. Some of the bottles are new, but some are also quite old.
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- One by one, the shelves and liners in the cellar are thoroughly wiped down with a damp cloth.
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- Shelf liners are often sold in rolls and are available online or at home organizing supply stores. I like to use this ribbed shelf liner for my wine cellar.
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- An additional rack was placed at the back of the cellar. This is where the oldest bottles of wine will be stored.
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- Carlos carefully and thoroughly dusts each bottle with a soft, dry cloth.
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- We use these microfiber cloths. Be sure not to use anything too damp or rough – it’s important to keep the labels intact, especially if the bottles are old and rare.
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- Shqipe looks at each label to make sure the bottle goes in the right place – reds on one side, whites on another, all in chronological order by vintage year.
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- Temporary sticky notes are used to identify the vintage year of each section. The characteristics of a vintage year are determined by weather and the quality of that year’s grape crop. Vintages are most important when collecting wines designed to be aged.
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- The most special wines in a collection should be kept in places less apt to be disturbed.
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- I have always kept all my wine stored on their sides. Horizontal racking is very space efficient, but it also keeps the liquid against the cork, so it doesn’t dry out. Corks expand in the neck of wine bottles to prevent oxygen from getting inside. When a cork dries out, air starts to enter, causing premature oxidation.
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- Some wines were purchased by the case, most likely left over from big parties. All these like bottles are grouped together. When organizing wine, it’s a good idea to allocate specific space for “everyday” wines that are consumed more casually, so they are within easy reach.
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- It is also important to face every label up, so it is easy to see and read when needed.
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- Not all wines will improve over time. Newer, less expensive wines likely won’t change. Red wines can take anywhere from two to 10-years to mature. Many white wines should be consumed after about three-years of storage, and select Chardonnays can be aged for more than 20-years.
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- Another wine organizing tip is to consider the size of the bottles collected – magnum bottles hold double at 1.5 liters – these giant bottles need more space. Shqipe puts bigger bottles on a bottom shelf.
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- Once stored, try not to move wines – keep them as undisturbed as possible until they are ready to use. Wines are delicate and can break down over time if exposed to a lot of movement or vibration.
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- Shqipe poses for a quick snapshot. Humidity in a wine cellar is also important – it should be kept around 70-percent. This level keeps the corks moist. Above 70-percent humidity can encourage mold and cause labels to loosen. And, remember that wine “breathes”, so don’t store it with anything that has a strong smell. Smells will permeate through the cork and taint the wine.
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- On another side of this room, I also store a wide assortment of liquor and spirits. They also needed a good dusting.
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- All my sipping tequilas were arranged and organized on a shelf.
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- In this section, rum and sake
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- And on this shelf, vodka. Vodka can also be stored in the freezer, but as all other alcohol, as long as it is kept in a cool, dry place, away from heat and direct sunlight, it will be fine.
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- Whiskeys, bourbons and other spirits are on another shelf.
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- And here is the room, clean and organized. All the paper labels will be replaced by nicer, more permanent ones, once all the bottles are stored and inventoried. It will be so easy to reach for a bottle of special wine the next time friends and family gather at the farm.
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