In this age of fast food and high-speed Internet, more people are starting wine cellars—a pursuit that requires patience and demands delayed gratification. Here’s the hardware you need.

Cave
When only the ne plus ultra will do for your collection, make like the ancients and burrow into the earth. A wine cave offers a stable, cool environment with no light influences. It’s how all the great wineries in France store their bottles, so you will be in some pretty rarefied company. Hire an excavation contractor or a structural engineer to be sure you get the location, conditions and safety concerns right. Wine caves are all the rage in Northern California and will soon be tunneling their way north.

$1,500 - $4,000
Free Standing Cellar
This 180-bottle cherrywood unit from Vinello can house a substantial collection and is attractive enough that it can hold its own with an antique living room suite. Plus, it has pull-out shelves to make dazzling your guests with a ’47 Cheval Blanc that much easier. Costco.ca, $3,999.

$8,000+
Custom Builds
As with suits and orthotics, nothing beats a custom job. An industry pro can size up your space and create a vino paradise using wood and a portable refrigeration unit. In Vancouver try Vin de Garde Cellar Systems (866-999-2103, vindegarde.ca) or Vancouver Wine Vault (604-805-4725, winevault.ca). In Alberta and Saskatchewan, try Koolspace (403-283-7575, koolspace.ca) and in Manitoba try Genuwine Cellars (204-668-8101, genuwinecellars.com) shown at left.

$150 - $400
Countertop Wine Fridge
Compact units like this one from Wine Enthusiast are useful for their compact size and easy price point. But if you’re putting wines down for an extended period, the 12-bottle capacity is taken up quickly—making these best for temporarily storing aged wines. Linens-N-Things, $112.99.

$0
Wood Crate
Simple, basic and if stored in a suitable location with minor temperature fluctuation (a near-constant 14°C is optimal), it will keep the light out and prevent accidental breakage. Best part—you’ll get one for free if you shell out for a case of age-worthy bordeaux or other high-end wine. wl