Glen Davis is a wine connoisseur. He not only works in the industry, he is the owner of Darlinghurst restaurant Omerta (now closed) and consults and manages cellars and wine lists across Sydney, he lives and breathes it. He first started collecting wine at the age of 19. Wine is clearly his passion.

Here he shares his tips about caring for that perfect drop.

Find the right place

The best place in the home to store wine is somewhere cool, dark and consistent in temperature. Wine racks placed around the kitchen and living area will result in damage over time due to sunlight, vibration and temperature fluctuation. "When I first started collecting wine at home I was19 years old. I lifted the carpet in my wardrobe floor and placed the wine on the concrete slab with the carpet over the top," Glen says. "It was dark and consistent in temperature, being on the concrete. I am still enjoying some of these wines today… Mum and Dad would be horrified to learn that I tore up the carpet in a brand new home!"

Storage

For cheap wine racks, Glen suggests to take two sheets of concrete reinforcement, known in the trade as 'rio' and frame them in timber or plywood. Make sure that one sheet is 10mm lower than the other (so the bottles sit straight) and around 200mm apart. The amount of squares in your sheet of rio equates to the amount of bottles you can hold - easy! If you are not confident with DIY, a handy person will knock this up for you in a flash and you can save thousands on custom wine storage. "I have used this method in cellars holding up to 5000 bottles and it looks fantastic," he says. Another option is the 'Bordex' wine rack range from Howards Storage World.

Drink up

"A suitable shape is more important than the expense of the crystal," Glen says. "Have a set of all-rounders to enjoy your daily drink such as Riedel's 'red and white' glass, and start with a few specific glasses for your favourite style. I am a lover of pinot and always have large round pinot glasses such as Plumms' 'red b' at home and in my restaurants." When it comes to decanters, Glen recommends choosing a shape and size that you can easily pick up with one hand so you are not fumbling at the dinner table.

What a corker!

If you are serious about your tools Glen's tip is to invest in quality items. "My wine knife and opener are both by Chateau Laguiole." You can find their products at Ultimo Cellars and The Essential Ingredient.

Age is an issue

Wines don't always get better with extended ageing. Most reds produced in Australia would be best opened three to five years after harvest. Wines that you should store are tannin (Shiraz), acid (Riesling), and sugar (Dessert wines). These act as natural preservatives and are therefore better suited to ageing.