So now you have a basement wine cellar. You start filling it with wine. How do you keep track of it? You need a wine cellar inventory management system. You can use a computer, or use a notebook. I’ll let you do your own research on that topic. Today, let’s discuss how you find the bottles in your wine cellar.
There are two obvious choices: you either label each bottle, or you label each spot on your wine racks.
A simple labeling system for your wine racks would be to number each column, and assign a letter to each row. The upper left spot for the first bottle of wine would be 1A; below that would be 1B, and so on. The advantage of this method is you can fill in whatever hole you want. You simply note in your wine cellar inventory management system the rack location for each bottle.
I chose the other option: I label each bottle. I started by writing the bottle number on the top of each bottle, but that’s not a great option if you even want to give a bottle of wine as a gift. No-one wants to receive a bottle with a “623″ marked on the top.
My next approach was to use mailing labels, like you would put on an envelope. I could use my wine database to create the labels and then print them. Unfortunately, the problem was the same; it’s hard to remove a label if you want to give a bottle away.
Finally I found a great solution: wine bottle tags.
I purchase my from Uncork, a company based in Australia. (I live in Canada; they ship anywhere in the world, and I’ve had no problem getting them, so don’t worry about where you live; they ship to you).
Wine Bottle Tag
I use Uncork’s Wine Bottle Tags. You can find out more about Uncork’s wine bottle tags on their web site. They are in sheets of twelve tags. I’ve configured my wine database to print my labels on my printer. You can also hand write them with a Sharpie, or a pen. You then rip them apart, and slide them over the next of the wine bottle.
They are printed on a flexible paper, laminated so that they won’t degrade in the humidity of your basement wine cellar. (I actually have no idea how they do it; it’s not really laminated, since you wouldn’t be able to write on them if they were).
I have used the tags for many years, and they work great.
NOTE: I have no affiliation with Uncork; I am not a paid endorser; I get nothing from them. I just like their product, which is why I mention it here.
Here’s more information, and a link to their web site:
| The Uncorked Cellar – Excellent wine information and wine collector software with a virtual rack display. Scan the barcode on the bottle to display information about that wine. Manage your wine collection, shown in table form and visual rack, including tasting notes.
Decanter called it good fun. |
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