Debra Meiburg offers this advice. 'EuroCaves are the safe way to go for new collectors,' she says, referring to the specialist wine refrigerators. 'You can resell them later if your collection gets too big and you need to store the bottles in a room. 'If you do store your wines in a room, don't store them high up because it's hot near the ceiling. If you're stuck for space, store them under the bed because it's cooler and the mattress provides insulation. 'You want the humidity to be about 60-70 per cent. You don't want it more humid than that because it will encourage mould, which will damage the labels and possibly the wine. You don't want the humidity too low because the corks can dry out. If they're dry, they can become crumbly and leak. 'Ideally, the temperature should be between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. If they're kept at a warmer temperature, they'll age faster, and if there are constant changes in temperature, they'll wear down. Light also affects wine, so you want the room dark. 'Vibration ages wine, so don't put them in a standard refrigerator. EuroCaves are designed with low vibration. When a bottle of wine is on its side, it's exposed to more oxygen, on the surface and vibration would shake oxygen into the wine. It also stirs up sediment - you want the sediment to settle.' Tom has this advice for storing wines overseas. 'If it's not under your control and you keep it at wine merchants, make sure it's stored properly and it's insured. Some policies cover theft and fire, but not flooding. 'I have friends who've had bad experiences, like with Mayfair Cellars [the finance director at the London wine merchants sold customers' bottles without their knowledge]. Many of us living in Asia don't touch the wines we buy overseas - the merchants know we're thousands of miles away and they may turn over the stock. With bigger collections, make sure you keep tabs on your inventory.' If you've outgrown your Euro- Caves and don't have a room to spare for storing wines at home, Crown Wine Cellars in Shouson Hill has temperature- and humidity-controlled space for rent ( www.crownwinecellars.com ).
