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Whether you possess the refined palate of a seasoned wine connoisseur or the passionate dedication of an avid collector, there is one element that can elevate your wine experience to unparalleled heights: a meticulously crafted wine cellar within the comforts of your own home. 

But not all wine cellars are made equal. 

The ideal wine cellar for you might not be the same for the next collector. Customizing it to your specific needs will enhance your cellar’s function, but also come with added expenses. 

At Deslaurier, we have over 40 years of experience providing our clients with custom cabinets and design services. While we aren’t wine cellar gurus, we do provide custom cabinets and customized millwork to accompany home wine cellar projects. 

In this article, we’ll discuss how much a home wine cellar costs and where that cost is coming from. 

Let’s get started!

Home Wine Cellars

A wine cellar is a storage area (typically its own room), used for wine bottles and even barrels. It protects wine from temperature and humidity swings, too much exposure to light, and other external influences.

Including a cellar in your home is an excellent choice for wine enthusiasts. It caters to different types of wine enthusiasts, from avid wine drinkers who only need temporary bottle storage to passionate hobbyists who have amassed impressive collections over many years of investment. 

The cellar provides a dedicated space for these individuals to store and showcase their wines, allowing them to enjoy their passion for wine on a whole new level.

Wine cellars are typically located in basements thanks to their removal from natural lighting, but they can also be placed near entertaining areas such as adjacent to a living room or sometimes even built-in under a staircase! 

How Much Does a Wine Cellar Cost?

According to Fixr, the average cost of a 75 sq. ft. basement wine cellar is $33,750. Further, the general price range of a home wine cellar sits roughly between $15,000 to $60,000. 

As you can see, that’s no small investment. 

While a wine cellar can be “stock”, they are typically highly customized projects expertly designed to fit the room. Everything from the design to the materials used and the unique wine storage solutions can be fully personalized for each individual project.

That’s a lot of moving parts when it comes to narrowing down a cost.

It’s important to consult with professionals, such as architects or wine cellar specialists, to address any considerations for your specific collection and ensure your project meets all necessary requirements. 

With that, let’s take a look at the driving forces involved in the cost of a home wine cellar!

Size and Capacity

Like any other room in the house, the size and extent of your wine cellar will play a large part in determining its overall cost. 

Larger cellars require more materials and labour, leading to higher expenses. From dry-wall to flooring to lighting, the larger the room, the more you’ll need. 

Additionally, the storage capacity you desire will also impact the cost. A cellar accommodating hundreds of wine bottles will naturally be more expensive than a smaller, more modest layout.

Cabinets and Wine Storage

Speaking of capacity, you’ll need the right type of storage to keep all that wine.  This will oftentimes be the most expensive feature of the entire project. 

While it may not always look like it, wine cellars still use traditional cabinet boxes for their storage. The only difference is they’re equipped with unique interiors designed to hold and store wine bottles in a variety of ways. 

You can include wine racks such as lattices, scoops and vertical cubbies, or have them angled to keep the wine label on display. You can even go further and include several glass displays to keep your favourite selections constantly presented. 

Typically, wine storage is almost always created using wood, but can also be made with metal or glass. Using the latter materials, however, won’t come with the same opportunities for customization

Wood is also the most customizable material to work with, making it great for custom millwork like wine racks and decorative trim. It brings an innate warmth that pairs beautifully with wine bottles and the luxurious allure of a wine cellar.

Oak is a very popular wood species for wine cellars, but you could also use maple, walnut, and many other kinds of wood as well. 

The cabinets themselves will roughly start at $500 per box, with each rack and shelving solution enhancing that cost. All-in-all, expect your wine storage to end up close to $10,000 if not more. 

Climate Control Units

Optimal wine storage in a cellar needs to be adequately climate-controlled. These controls are important to prevent damage to the flavours and create perfect aging conditions for your wine.

The recommended climate levels for a wine cellar are between 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit and 45-70% humidity.

These controls are typically installed in a room behind the actual cellar, where the mechanical units can be placed out of sight and flow into the room. 

These temperature and humidity units are quite expensive, depending on the model you buy and the climate control your cellar requires. 

Roughly speaking, equipping your wine cellar with the required climate control units will typically range from a couple of thousand dollars to over $10,000. 

Sturdy and Insulated Door

With all that perfectly regulated temperature and humidity, your wine cellar needs an insulated door that seals shut. 

Cellar doors can be built of many of the same materials as doors you use anywhere else in the home. They can be plain or decorative, have square corners or an arched appearance, and be made from solid wood, metal, glass, and even wrought iron. 

While traditional wine cellars have large, thick wooden doors, many modern-day cellars can also incorporate a glass door entrance. 

They evoke a contemporary style and are the perfect way to have your wine remain on display, even from outside the cellar!

However, you can’t just choose any glass door without some key considerations.

Wine cellar doors should be fully insulated, similar to exterior doors. Any glass doors (or windows) should be insulated, double-paned, and airtight to prevent sweating and fogging. They must ensure the controlled climate inside your wine cellar isn’t breached. 

Whichever material and style of door you choose, keeping your wine cellar properly sealed and insulated is priority number one. 

Your Wine! 

Lastly, you can’t forget the wine itself! 

After all, displaying your vast collection is what having a home wine cellar is all about! 

This is almost impossible to estimate how much it will cost, as not all wine is the same, nor are all wine enthusiasts’ collections. 

Some homeowners will have a few dozen bottles in their cellar while avid collectors might have several hundred, all ranging in value. 

Some might even make their own wine! 

The important thing is to keep the cost of the actual wine in mind when designing your home wine cellar. Especially if you put all the hard work into designing it and have nothing to display! 

Design with Deslaurier Custom Cabinets 

As you can see, a lot goes into the cost of a home wine cellar. They’re an elaborate project that takes extensive planning in order to be successful.

If you’re looking for custom cabinets and design services for your home wine project, Deslaurier has everything you need! 

With over 40 years of experience in our name, we provide our clients with a fully customized design process with our talented team of designers. 

Book a consultation today with a Deslaurier design expert at our Ottawa Showroom or schedule a virtual meeting! 

Live outside the area? Find a Dealer to connect with near you! Interested in becoming an authorized Deslaurier dealer? Visit our Become a Dealer page to learn more!