Home Improvement : Closet Converts to ‘Cellar’

A real wine cellar, with temperature and humidity controls to protect quantities of precious vintages, is something that’s beyond most people who live in average apartments and houses.

But Palace Brands Co., which imports wines, says anyone can create a small “cellar” in a closet.

Choose a closet used for off-season storage, because the temperature will remain constant and cooler than one opened every day. Reserve about two square feet of floor space, add a wine rack, and collect a cellarage of 12 to 24 bottles.

The closet clutter--clothes, sports equipment, or whatever--will help maintain a good climate for the wine storage, away from light, heat and excessive vibration.

You can collect a respectable cellar for about $5 to $10 a bottle, the company says. Whether you prefer white or red, it recommends you keep some of “the other kind” to go with dishes that demand that type (or for guests who prefer it).

Some white suggestions: Anselmi Soave from Northern Italy, Ladoucette Sauvignon de Sauvignon from the Loire Valley of France, or Casal Thaulero’s Trebbiano from Italy’s Abruzzo region. Reds: Bouchard Pere & Fils Beaujolais or Mouton-Cadet Bordeaux, both from France, or Rubesco from Lungarotti in Italy.