Storage Companies

If you are concerned about investing in a home-based wine storage system, the easiest way to start storing wine is to use a professional wine storage facility. Just like leasing or buying a car, the lowest starting cost is leasing. However there may be no alternative – wine storage companies are only in main cities, and then only in the states with liberal wine control laws.

Storage Facility

The basic service is provided by all wine storage vendors. It includes a facility which is environment controlled, including temperature (around 55 degrees), humidity (around 70%), vibration (free) and light (minimal). It is essential to visit the facility to assess these basic requirements first hand. If they are not satisfactory, your investment will not mature as desired. If not convenient, the visit can be avoided if the storage vendor has an online video, or multiple photos of the facility.

There are two basic models. The first is self-service, where a customer has a private area (vault) where they enter and retrieve their wines themselves. Times of opening matter in this model. The second is based in the highly populated wine sophisticated cities of New York (Manhatten) and Napa. Wines are collected and stored and then delivered by the storage service. Service matters in this model.

Rates

Rates vary from around $1/month to $4/month. Most storage companies have minimum storage requirements between 6 and 18 cases. Like car leases, most companies have minimums for an initial wine contract. The typical length of time is one year.

Security

Wine facilities are sometimes located in low rent areas (because they are low rent). Security is important in all facilities and especially when the service is saving money on the location. Security should include a thick walled facility, complex locking devices and procedures for entering and exiting, surveillance cameras, and security personnel. The most zealous facilities have people living on the site.

Along with security, most facilities have insurance. It is not only important to know that there is insurance, but also whether it includes wine spoilage due to power cuts, or flood.

Local Delivery/Receipt

Some facilities, again mainly in New York, will allow wine to be bought from a merchant and directly delivered to the facility to be placed in the customer’s storage locker. On the other end wine can be delivered when required on short notice.