The Winer Things In Life

What equates more with the good life than fine wine? And what signifies a true oenophile better than a carefully-stocked walk-in (or live-in) wine cellar? Even if your home isn’t built atop a limestone cavern, you can enjoy the benefits of a custom wine cellar that will truly add value to your home—and your lifestyle.

Beverly Hills wine consultant Jeff Smith, author of The Best Cellar, offers some advice: “By the time you consider building a wine cellar, chances are you're at or over the tipping point where you can comfortably house your collection in a wine refrigerator in the garage. Plan for more than you think you need. Nature abhors a vacuum and so does a wine cellar.”

A seldom-used bedroom or even a large closet can be converted to a fine home cellar, or you can buy one of several ready-made wine rooms (really just very large cabinets) from companies like Bacchus Wine Cellars or Vinotheque for around $5,000. If you’re building a new home or even doing an extensive remodel, your builder may offer a cellar as an option, of course, which is probably the best value you’ll find since original construction is almost always less expensive than retro-fitting. Expect to invest $25,000 or more in a fully-dedicated space.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds