wine cellar specs

Wine should be held at a temperature which assures its proper rate of maturity. It is generally agreed that around 55ºF is the optimum temperature for wine storage. Lower temperatures slow development, higher temperatures age the wine prematurely. However, it is more important to achieve a stable temperature, i.e. a constant 65º is preferable to a cellar which fluctuates between (e.g.) 50º and 60º.

Proper humidity is also important to the storage of wine. Too high a humidity will encourage molds to develop and damage labels, too low a humidity can cause corks to dry out. If that happens, the wine will inevitably spoil. A relative humidity of 60% to 70% is considered to be ideal for wine storage