Author(s): COX JEFF

Food & Drink

Wine is an experience. There's an aura of romance to bringing a bottle up from your own cellar, carefully drawing out the cork, pouring the wine into a goblet, and taking the first delectable sip. Now Jeff Cox, author of" From Vines to Wines" and a respected connoisseur, shows you how easy it is to have a wine cellar of your own.

You'll learn how to create a working system of selecting wines that will age well, how to lay them down properly, and how to recognize when they have matured and are ready to be savored. Cox pinpoints the optimal temperature, light, and humidity for a wine cellar. He walks you through possible locations for your wine cellar--the basement, an old root cellar, your garage, or even a closet--and outlines what each location requires. He explains when you'll need a climate-control device. And he discusses the pros and cons of buying a freestanding unit much like a refrigerator. Cox even shows you how to keep good records so you know at a glance what you have, where it is, and how much you need to buy so that your cellar doesn't become depleted. And he gives you a crash course in appreciating the fragrance and flavor of a fine wine.