Potential Wine Cellar - Great Conditions?

[DJZany]

Have just been at the parents' holiday house. I was in the shed and I vaguely remembered that there was a trapdoor with some space underneath it. So I thought I would have a look.

WOW!!!!!!! MASSIVE!!!!!!!!

The cellar is probably a few metres across both ways and a couple of metres deep. There is a ladder (broken) down and it is all bricked.

Apparently there was power and lighting down there before my parents bought the house and the cellar fell into disrepair. Actually sounds like a nice little hydro growing area, rather than wine storage, but I am looking at it from the wine perspective. (honest!)

BUT:

The bricks don't go all the way to the top, there is small air gap on two sides, a brick or two high. The shed covers it from rain, but it is open to the air, and creepy crawlies.

Is this a good spot for wine? I can test for temperature and humidity stability this summer, however I was concerned about the air gap. Is this likely to be a problem?

Any hints?

Must say I got pretty excited about it. Much bigger (and cheaper) than my Kennards locker...

[bacchaebabe]

Sounds pretty good but obviously depends on what city it's in. Brisvegas may not be so good but Melbourne and Sydney might be OK, but location is important as is which way these holes and gaps face. North won't be so good, south might be fine. You may also be able to fill up the holes, depending on how big they are. Some bricks, newspaper, that expanding foam stuff. Depends how big the hole is.

I'd get a max / min thermometer and measure the temp range over summer. Winter is less of an issue unless it gets down really cold but being underground will help a lot with stability. You may need to insulate the roof (floor). You might also want to look at security and whether or not it's actually handy for you to access your wine on a regular basis.

You could even use the holes to assist with an air-conditioning split system tubes.

Could be a goer but there's lots ot think about.

[platinum]

Melbourne or Tasmania will be your best bet if you are there?

[DJZany]

Yeah, just outside Melbourne, so at least not automatic disqualification!

As for convenience, this would only be for the stuff to forget for a year or two, then pull a few bottles and take it to Kennards.

Thanks for the tips, will put the max/min down there next time.

If I do insulate it, there would be prety much no air circulation, is that a problem?

[Adam]

I would definately be concerned about the air gap, cant be good for stable temps.

I would want to brick that up, and probably insulate the rest of the room if possible.

[Ratcatcher]

What about security?

If it's just a shed at a holiday home that isn't occupied year round I'd be worried about theft.

Also what about flooding when it rains heavily?

I'd go down there in the middle of a heavy thunderstorm too.