Guide to cleaning and maintaining your wine cellar
The wine cellar has become an indispensable accessory for enthusiasts and restaurateurs. Thanks to its temperature and humidity characteristics, it offers an ideal environment to properly store and age bottles of wine and preserve the freshness of cured meats and cheeses. However, to ensure the highest quality and to best preserve wines, cured meats, cheeses and cigars, it is essential to keep it clean.
How to do it? We asked Vainer Fantini, owner and production manager of IP Industrie del Freddo Spa.
How to clean the cellar?
Once you have unplugged the main plug from the electricity and carefully removed all the bottles of wine, cheeses, cured meats and cigars present, you can proceed to clean the internal cell. To clean the internal and external surfaces of the wine cellar, we recommend a soft, damp cloth. For the external walls, a dry cloth.
We recommend cleaning the internal cell every 2/3 years to prevent the wine being stored from being shocked by the movement of the bottles. And every 6 months, we recommend cleaning the condenser. To clean the internal steel walls of the delicatessen, we recommend using red wine vinegar. For wooden grids, if stained, use sandpaper to remove stains. For the internal walls of the wine cells, I recommend a damp cloth; for more stubborn stains, use warm water and a neutral, unscented detergent. For the external walls, I recommend using a dry cloth; for stubborn stains, use hot water and possibly neutral detergents.
It is important to eliminate unwanted odors that can affect the flavor of the products stored in the cellar. Then, dry the cellar before turning it on.
How to store wine bottles in the cellar?
Wine is afraid of sudden changes in temperature, light and humidity. A bottle of wine needs: no UV rays and no strong, impregnating odors to keep it at its best. It is also important to keep cheeses with strong odors separate to avoid contaminating others. It is important to avoid moving bottles frequently and keeping them upright for a long time so as not to disturb the sedimentation process.
For bubbles, the cork must be kept moist, so it is advisable to keep the bottle tilted. As with Champagne, this solution is used so that the wine itself wets the cork, preventing air from entering.
The ideal temperature for storing wines in the wine cellar is generally between 12°C and 18°C with a humidity of 60 to 70%. We recommend more careful storage for wines aged for over 18 years.
How to organize the cellar
Maintaining good organization inside the cellar is important to avoid contamination between different products. It is therefore advisable to organize them in an orderly manner, ensuring that wines are positioned in a stable manner, cured meats and cheeses are adequately protected and cigars are stored in sealed containers. Avoid overloading the shelves to allow proper air circulation. It is advisable to use separate shelves for wines, cured meats and cheeses, and for cigars their own dedicated space. If possible, also divide the products according to their characteristics and recommended storage period. Separate red wines and white wines, if possible, in different areas of the cellar.
Maintaining an adequate level of humidity is important for the preservation of cheeses. Most cheeses require a storage temperature between 10° C and 12° C and a humidity between 60 and 70%.
How to clean a cigar humidor
A unique feature of our cellars is the ability to store cigars in a unique and dedicated environment. To clean the cigar humidor, simply wipe it with a cloth as the cigar does not make a mess.
However, to store cigars, it is necessary to maintain a constant humidity of around 70%. We recommend checking the humidifier regularly and filling it with distilled water when necessary and periodically eliminating the dirty water.
Also, make sure to periodically clean its interior to remove any residues of leaves. At the time of purchase, we offer a special cleaning detergent to add to the water, ideal against the formation of mold or strange odors.
The special cleaning detergent and the sanitizing additive to add are also available on request.
The cellar 601
The model 601 is the ideal product for storing wines, cured meats, cheeses and cigars.
The cellar is characterized by 2 separate and independent refrigerated cells, the temperature is adjustable from 4° to 18° C for each cell.
Furthermore, the internal structure can be customized depending on the product you want to store: available as standard equipment we offer different types of hooks for hanging cured meats, as well as grids and sliding shelves for correct use of the cellar.
Conclusions
Proper cleaning of the wine cellar is essential to preserve the quality of the wines, meats and cheeses and cigars inside. Make sure to control the temperature and humidity and keep it clean so as not to compromise the potential of a unique product that it can offer.
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